Illustration of saguaro
plural saguaros
: a tall columnar usually sparsely branched cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) of dry areas of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico that bears white flowers and a scaly reddish edible fruit and that may attain a height of up to 50 feet (16 meters)
called also giant cactus
Did you know?
Venture into the Arizonan desert on a May or June morning and you may see the saguaro in bloom. For many of our readers (such as those living in Arizona and southeastern California), this sight - and the word saguaro - won't be anything new. Or perhaps you know this emblem of all things Southwestern simply as the "giant cactus." The word saguaro originated in Ópata, a language spoken by peoples of the Sonoran Desert region of Mexico. It came into English by way of the Spanish spoken by the Mexican settlers of the American West. The very saguaros we see today may well have been around when the word was first noted, some 150 years ago - this amazing cactus can live for up to 200 years.
Examples of saguaro in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The land around Hassayampa Ranch, 50 miles west of Phoenix, is dotted with saguaro cacti and home to coyotes, jackrabbits, and rattlesnakes.
—
Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 27 Dec. 2025
The park is most famous for its saguaro cacti, the largest in the country, which can grow up to 50 feet tall.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 15 Dec. 2025
The one-mile loop is located in the East District and features educational signs informing visitors about the area’s history and its flora, an old homestead foundation, and a saguaro grove.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 3 Dec. 2025
The mural is inspired by Mexican artist Jose Guadalupe Posada and includes saguaro cactus iconic to Northern Mexico's landscape.
—Alec Johnson, jsonline.com, 19 Nov. 2025
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Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 27 Dec. 2025
The park is most famous for its saguaro cacti, the largest in the country, which can grow up to 50 feet tall.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 15 Dec. 2025
The one-mile loop is located in the East District and features educational signs informing visitors about the area’s history and its flora, an old homestead foundation, and a saguaro grove.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 3 Dec. 2025
The mural is inspired by Mexican artist Jose Guadalupe Posada and includes saguaro cactus iconic to Northern Mexico's landscape.
—Alec Johnson, jsonline.com, 19 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for saguaro
Cite this Entry
“Saguaro.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/saguaro. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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