cactus

noun

cac·​tus ˈkak-təs How to pronounce cactus (audio)
plural cacti ˈkak-ˌtī How to pronounce cactus (audio)
-(ˌ)tē
or cactuses also cactus
: any of a family (Cactaceae, the cactus family) of plants that have succulent stems and branches with scales or spines instead of leaves and are found especially in dry areas (such as deserts)

Examples of cactus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Gorgeous desert drink If there were a contest for most beautiful cocktail with a cactus twist, the Prickly Pear Sour at the Kimpton Rowan’s High Bar would score high marks. Leslie Kelly, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025 There, piercing her paw pad, was a long cactus spine. Amelia Arvesen, Outside Online, 5 Apr. 2025 Succulents, cactuses, and California natives also thrive and flower abundantly in fertilizer’s absence. Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 20 Mar. 2025 This 62-mile asphalt amusement park climbs from cactus country into the forested Santa Rosa and San Jacinto mountains, before plummeting back to the desert. Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 25 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cactus

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, genus name, from Latin, cardoon, from Greek kaktos

First Known Use

1738, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cactus was in 1738

Cite this Entry

“Cactus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cactus. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

cactus

noun
cac·​tus ˈkak-təs How to pronounce cactus (audio)
plural cacti -ˌtī How to pronounce cactus (audio)
-(ˌ)tē
or cactuses also cactus
: any of a large family of flowering plants able to live in dry regions and having fleshy stems and branches that bear scales or prickles instead of leaves

More from Merriam-Webster on cactus

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