prickly pear

noun

1

or prickly pear cactus : opuntia

especially : an opuntia with flattened, usually paddle-shaped, jointed stem segments compare cholla, nopal

2

or prickly pear fruit : the pulpy, pear- or egg-shaped, edible, yellow to purplish-red fruit of various prickly pears (such as Opuntia ficus-indica) see tuna entry 2

Illustration of prickly pear

• prickly pear 1

Examples of prickly pear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Heaps of leathery brown prickly pear pads sagged into the dirt and ash. —Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026

The draft cocktails menu includes Club West Spritz, Moscow Mule with prickly pear and sage, Hibiscus Paloma, and Pineapple Cucumber Ranch Water. —Charlotte Observer, 12 Mar. 2026

This bright, healthy and sweet-tart salad was inspired by one of the ubiquitous features of Death Valley National Park – the prickly pear. —John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026

Set within a sprawling Mediterranean estate dotted with olive trees, jasmine, and prickly pear, the property feels serene and secluded. —Angela Tafoya, Vogue, 9 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1696, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for prickly pear

• aftercare
• anywhere
• billionaire
• chinaware
• debonair
• dinnerware
• disrepair
• doctrinaire
• earthenware
• everywhere
• frigidaire
• kitchenware

Kids Definition

prickly pear

noun

1

: any of numerous cacti with spines and usually flat stem segments

2

: the pear-shaped sweet edible pulpy fruit of a prickly pear