prickly pear

American  

noun

• prickly pears
  plural

1. any of numerous cacti of the genus Opuntia, having flattened, usually spiny stem joints, yellow, orange, or reddish flowers, and ovoid, often edible fruit.

2. the usually prickly fruit of such a cactus.

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prickly pear British  

noun

1. any of various tropical cacti of the genus Opuntia, having flattened or cylindrical spiny joints and oval fruit that is edible in some species See also cholla nopal

2. the fruit of any of these plants

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• prickly pears
  plural

Etymology

Origin of prickly pear

First recorded in 1605–15

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prickly pear

On Camino Escalante, Guthrie’s squat, orange brick house is set back from the road behind a lawn planted with prickly pear, agave, cholla and yucca.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 13, 2026

The bug lives and feeds on the prickly pear cactus, a plant that originated in the Americas but has spread all over the world—and colonized the Mediterranean countryside—taking D. opuntiae along for the ride.

From Science Magazine ● Mar. 12, 2024

Begay Sr. uses a walking stick to wind past pockets of yellow flowers, heavily trafficked anthills and the occasional prickly pear.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 30, 2023

Sprawling plumerias, a prickly pear cactus and a gorgeous crown of thorns stood next to a wrought iron fence.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2023

Having to duck and dodge around in those prickly pear, he was bound to come out bristling with more pear spines than the hogs had in their faces.

From "Old Yeller" by Fred Gipson