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

Some fruits, like prickly pear, jackfruit, durian, and blackberries, are high in magnesium. —Jillian Kubala, Health, 24 June 2025

Licorice, lemongrass, arnica, prickly pear extract, and aloe are featured too, in an effort to balance out the potent actives. —Jenny Berg, Vogue, 13 June 2025

It’s powered by desert botanicals like rose of Jericho, which hydrates and helps fight frizz while restoring shine, as well as prickly pear seed oil, which nourishes and softens the hair shaft. —Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 5 June 2025

Guests can add a flavor swirl for $1 or opt for signature builds like the Flamingo Freeze (with Tito’s and prickly pear) or the Arctic Drift (with Malibu and a beachy blue hue) for $12. —Gina Pace, Forbes.com, 30 June 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