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

One of the park's best hikes, the Watchman Trail transports you to a land of sandstone spires and prickly pear cacti that bask under the desert sun year-round. —Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 5 Jan. 2026

Bright, refreshing, and nourishing, this prickly pear juice recipe from Bermudian herbalist Doreen Williams-James is a simple way to enjoy this unique cactus fruit. —Rebekah Evans, TheWeek, 2 Jan. 2026

Its blend of exosomes boosts collagen production, while prickly pear extract gently resurfaces skin, collagen firms and lifts, and ectoin hydrates. —Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 29 Dec. 2025

What do a nopal (a prickly pear cactus) a bicycle stand, crates, a wooden bench, a plastic table and worn knives have in common? —Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 22 Dec. 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