cactus

noun

cac·​tus ˈkak-təs 

plural cacti ˈkak-ˌtī 

-(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

Arizona’s iconic saguaro cactuses seem like immobile sentinels standing watch over the Sonoran desert landscape. —John Leos, AZCentral.com, 10 Nov. 2025

This money tree is more like a cactus. —Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025

For peak flowering, Christmas cactuses should be kept in a spot that stays dark for about 12 to 14 hours a day for 8 weeks, beginning in mid-October. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Nov. 2025

And thank goodness for that: Over the past few years, Friedman has increasingly left his mark on products that live off the page, i.e. in real homes: a suite of hide rugs for Kyle Bunting, cactus glassware for Lobmeyr, and even a swimwear line. —Catherine Hong, Architectural Digest, 28 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1738, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing cactus

• barrel cactus
• cactus wren
• Christmas cactus
• giant cactus
• organ pipe cactus
• prickly pear cactus
• queen of the night cactus
• rattail cactus

Rhymes for cactus

• actus
• practice
• practise
• tractus
• malpractice

Kids Definition

cactus

noun

cac·​tus ˈkak-təs 

plural cacti -ˌtī 

-(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