cactus

[ kak-tuh s ]
/ ˈkæk təs /

noun, plural cac·ti [kak-tahy] /ˈkæk taɪ/, cac·tus·es, cac·tus.

any of numerous succulent plants of the family Cactaceae, of warm, arid regions of the New World, having fleshy, leafless, usually spiny stems, and typically having solitary, showy flowers.

Origin of cactus

1600–10; < Latin < Greek káktos cardoon

OTHER WORDS FROM cactus

cac·tus·like, cac·toid, adjective

Words nearby cactus

cacosmia, cacoëthes, cacqueteuse, cactaceous, cactoblastis, cactus, cactus dahlia, cactus geranium, cactus moth, cactus pear, cactus wren

Example sentences from the Web for cacti

British Dictionary definitions for cacti

cactus
/ (ˈkæktəs) /

noun plural -tuses or -ti (-taɪ)

any spiny succulent plant of the family Cactaceae of the arid regions of America. Cactuses have swollen tough stems, leaves reduced to spines or scales, and often large brightly coloured flowers
cactus dahlia a double-flowered variety of dahlia

Derived forms of cactus

cactaceous (kækˈteɪʃəs), adjective

Word Origin for cactus

C17: from Latin: prickly plant, from Greek kaktos cardoon