cactus

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: cac=tus

CIDE DICTIONARY

cactus, n. [L., a kind of cactus, Gr. .].

 Any plant of the order Cactacæ, as the prickly pear and the night-blooming cereus. See Cereus. They usually have leafless stems and branches, often beset with clustered thorns, and are mostly natives of the warmer parts of America.  [1913 Webster]

Cactus wren (Zoöl.), an American wren of the genus Campylorhynchus, of several species.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

cactus, n. (pl. cacti or cactuses) any succulent plant of the family Cactaceae, with a thick fleshy stem, usu. spines but no leaves, and brilliantly coloured flowers.

Idiom

cactus dahlia any kind of dahlia with quilled petals resembling a cactus flower.

Derivative

cactaceous adj.

Etymology

L f. Gk kaktos cardoon

THESAURUS

cactus

bramble, brier, bristle, burr, catchweed, cleavers, goose grass, needle, nettle, pine needle, prickle, quill, spicule, spiculum, spike, spikelet, spine, sticker, thistle, thorn, yucca