yucca

American  

[yuhk-uh] / ˈjʌk ə /

noun

yuccas plural

1. any plant belonging to the genus Yucca, of the agave family, native to the warmer regions of America, having pointed, usually rigid, sword-shaped leaves and clusters of white, waxy flowers: the state flower of New Mexico.

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yucca British  

/ ˈjʌkə /

noun

1. any of several plants of the genus Yucca, of tropical and subtropical America, having stiff lancelike leaves and spikes of white flowers: family Agaraceae See also Adam's-needle Spanish bayonet

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• yuccas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of yucca

1655–65; < New Latin, apparently < Spanish; perhaps originally identical with yuca yuca

Example Sentences

Classic examples include figs and fig wasps and yuccas and yucca moths.

From Science Daily • Mar. 12, 2026

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

They ask for plantain, yucca or sugar cane.

From BBC • Oct. 25, 2025

At any one time, there are only five people assigned to the station set on the edge of a sandy basin speckled with yucca and scrub.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2024

I also made a pair of sandals from sealskin for walking over the dunes when the sun was hot, or just to be dressed up when I wore my new skirt of yucca twine.

From "Island of the Blue Dolphins" by Scott O'Dell