yucca

American  

[yuhk-uh] / ˈyʌk ə /

noun

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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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

"I want to plant yucca, tomatoes, bananas, mangoes and pineapples," she enthuses.

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2025

But those protections also extend to the wider ecosystem — such as the yucca moth.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2025

The pain in my side was gone, and I did not feel the thorns of the cactus or the needles of yucca that pierced my legs and feet.

From "Bless Me, Ultima" by Rudolfo Anaya