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

Walkers can take in the staggered plots of orange groves and prickly pear bushes in Marsalforn Valley or soak up the quiet back streets of Gharb, the island’s westernmost town, overlooking Dwerja. —AFAR Media, 28 Aug. 2025

The formula is a whopping 81% prickly pear mucin, derived from both the prickly pear cactus stem (a source of skin barrier-supporting hydration) and the antioxidant-rich fruit. —Karina Hoshikawa, Refinery29, 26 Aug. 2025

The spot will have cocktails created around local flavors (such as prickly pear, mirto or wild rosemary) with elevated touches. —Rachel Dube, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025

This luxury retreat, located 25 minutes south of Moab, offers 50 upscale safari tents and fine dining (don’t sleep on ULUM’s canyon graze board with prickly pear jam). —Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 17 Aug. 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