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

Specifically, some bacteria are linked to the digestion of plant tissues, which likely include items like agaves, yuccas, and prickly pear. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2025

The riff on a classic Texas sheet cake included a sweet corn and corn flour cake with Texas prickly pear buttercream and rainbow sprinkles. —Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 7 Oct. 2025

The formula is packed with nourishing ingredients like prickly pear seed oil, cactus flower extract, and cocoa seed butter, yet remains lightweight enough to repair without leaving behind residue. —Iman Balagam, Vogue, 22 Sep. 2025

Common edible plants in Arizona include prickly pear, saguaro fruit, and mesquite pods, but many native plants are protected. —Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 19 Sep. 2025

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