opuntia

/ (ɒˈpʌnʃɪə) /

noun

any cactus of the genus Opuntia, esp prickly pear, having fleshy branched stems and green, red, or yellow flowers

Nearby words

optomyometer, optophone, optotype, opulence, opulent, opuntia, opus, opus anglicanum, opus dei, opuscule, opusculum

Word Origin for opuntia

C17: New Latin, from Latin Opuntia (herba) the Opuntian (plant), from Opus, ancient town of Locris, Greece

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Examples from the Web for opuntia

They cat also juniper berries, manzanita berries, and the fruit of the prickly pear (Opuntia).
Coyotes in Their Economic Relations|David E. Lantz
A closely-related species is known as tassajo (Opuntia sponsior).
American Forest Trees|Henry H. Gibson
The Opuntia macrocentra grows in sandy soil or clay loam at levels of three to five thousand feet.
The Fantastic Clan|John James Thornber
When the grave has been half filled in, they throw into it a prickly-pear (Opuntia Dillenii) shrub, and make a mound over it.
Castes and Tribes of Southern India|Edgar Thurston

Opuntia laevis is three to six feet tall with erect wide-spreading branches ascending from the base.
The Fantastic Clan|John James Thornber