English Explanatory Dictionary

cactus

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Any member of the family Cactaceae, a family of flowering New World succulent plants suited to a hot, semi-desert climate.
  2. Any succulent plant with a thick fleshy stem bearing spines but no leaves, such as euphorbs.
adj
  1. Non-functional, broken, exhausted, dead.
name
  1. A city in Texas.
  2. An unincorporated community in California.

Pronunciation

/ˈkæktəs/ /ˈkæktʌs/ en-us-cactus.ogg EN-AU ck1 cactus.ogg

Word forms

cactus cacti cactuses cactusses

Etymology

From taxonomic name Cactus, a name given in 1752 by Linnaeus for a genus of cacti (now superseded by the genus name Mammillaria), from Latin cactus, from Ancient Greek κάκτος (káktos, “cardoon”), possibly of Pre-Greek origin.

Synonyms

kaput

Related words

cactaceous cactal cactiform cactoid cactused in the cactus succulent

Derived words

Aaron's beard cactus Aaron's-beard cactus agave cactus apple cactus applecactus ball cactus balloon cactus barbed-wire cactus\ barrel cactus barrel cactus virus beehive cactus bird's nest cactus bunny ear cactus bunny ears cactus button cactus cactus cat cactus coral cactus dahlia cactus deermouse cactus euphorbia cactus fig cactus geranium Cactus League cactuslike cactus longhorn beetle cactus mistletoe cactus moth cactus mouse cactus pear cactus silk cactus stack Cactus virus X cactus woodpecker cactus wren cactusy candle cactus cane cactus cathedral cactus chin cactus cholla cactus Christmas cactus cob cactus cochineal cactus compass cactus crab cactus creeping devil cactus crown cactus deerhorn cactus dildo cactus divine cactus dumpling cactus Easter cactus fairy castle cactus feather cactus finger cactus fishhook cactus foxtail cactus giant cactus gold lace cactus grape cactus
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