cactus
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cactus¹
- /ˈkæktəs/ UK
- /ˈkæktʌs/ UK
- /ˈkæktəs/ US
Rhymes with -æktəs
Where it comes from
From taxonomic name Cactus, a name given in 1752 by Linnaeus for a genus of cacti (now superseded by the genus name Mammillaria), from Latin cactus, from Ancient Greek κάκτος (káktos, “cardoon”), possibly of Pre-Greek origin.
noun cacti · cactuses · cactusses · cactus
- Any member of the family Cactaceae, a family of flowering New World succulent plants suited to a hot, semi-desert climate. On the mountains a few junipers and piñons are found, and cactuses, agave, and yuccas, low, fleshy plants with bayonets and thorns.
- Any succulent plant with a thick fleshy stem bearing spines but no leaves, such as euphorbs.
- A vivid green color inspired by the color of cacti.
adjective
-
Non-functional, broken, exhausted, dead.
I wouldn't mind throwing it away if it's cactus except for the VCR part which works fine, so then I'd be up for a new VCR as well.
Similar: kaput
Cactus²
proper noun
- A city in Texas.
- An unincorporated community in California.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: nopal, saguaro, ocotillo, hedgehog, species, sahuaro, spineless, xerophyte, cactuslike, cactaceous, cactoid, succulent, cholla, opuntia, peyote, cereus
Translations
Every language
noun member of the Cactaceae
| Español | cacto, cactus |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 선인장 seoninjang |
| 日本語 | 仙人掌 saboten, サボテン saboten, シャボテン shaboten |
| 中文 | 仙人掌 xiānrénzhǎng |
| हिन्दी | कैक्टस kaikṭas, नागफनी nāgaphnī |
| Kiswahili | cactus |
| Português | cacto, cato, cáctus |
| Français | cactus |
| Deutsch | Kaktus |
| Italiano | cactus |
| Ελληνικά | κάκτος káktos |
| Română | cactus |
| Русский | ка́ктус káktus |
| Tiếng Việt | xương rồng |
| العربية | صَبَّار ṣabbār |
| עברית | צבר tsabar |
Talk about this word "cactus." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/cactus. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. cactus. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/cactus "cactus." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/cactus.Cite this
@misc{cactus_2026,
title = {cactus},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/cactus},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
