cactus

From Latin cactus, from Ancient Greek κάκτος (káktos, “cardoon”), of pre-Greek origin.

• IPA^(key): /ˈkæktəs/, /ˈkæktʊs/

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cactus (plural cacti or cactuses or cactus)

1. (botany) Any member of the family Cactaceae, a family of flowering New World succulent plants suited to a hot, semi-desert climate.
2. Any succulent plant with a thick fleshy stem bearing spines but no leaves, such as euphorbs.

In modern English, the term cactus properly refers to plants belonging to the family Cactaceae. With one exception, all are native to the New World (the Americas). The sole exception is Rhipsalis, a jungle epiphyte found in tropical Africa, Madagascar, and Sri Lanka, as well as North and South America. Informally, cactus is used to refer to any stem succulent adapted to a dry climate, notably species from genus Euphorbia with forms reminiscent of Cactaceae. These succulents are better described as "cactoid" or "cactiform" unless they are actual members of the Cactaceae.

• (member of Cactaceae): succulent

• (member of Cactaceae): nopal, saguaro

• cactaceous
• cactal
• cactoid
• cactiform

• → Welsh: cactws

cactus (not comparable)

1. (Australia, New Zealand, slang) Non-functional, broken, exhausted, dead.
   • 2001 July 8, Dave, “TV Problems”, in aus.electronics, Usenet‎:

     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.

   • 2004 August 25, AC, “water damage ???”, in alt.cellular.nokia, Usenet‎:

     I would say it's cactus. Water conducts & destroys components & PCBs very easily. Hence the water-resistant phones.

   • 2009, Will Chaffey, Swimming with Crocodiles: An Australian Adventure‎, page 108:

     ‘It′s cactus,’ Rod, the helicopter pilot, said at the sound of the piston ring shattering.

   • 2018"Fractured", Wentworth

     Michael Armstrong: "Michael Armstrong, I represent Sonia Stevens."
     Sue "Boomer" Jenkins: "Oh, haven't you heard? She cactus."
     Armstrong "Yes, I realize that, and that's a terrible business.

• cactused

• succulent
• Cactus on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Cactaceae on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons

cactus m (plural cactus)

1. (botany) cactus (member of the Cactaceae)

From Latin cactus, from Ancient Greek κάκτος (káktos, “cardoon”), of pre-Greek origin.

• IPA^(key): /ˈkɑk.tʏs/

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• Hyphenation: cac‧tus

cactus m (plural cactussen, diminutive cactusje n)

1. cactus

• cactusvijg

• IPA^(key): /kak.tys/

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cactus m (plural cactus)

1. cactus

• “cactus” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

cactus m (invariable)

1. cactus

• stucca

From Ancient Greek κάκτος (káktos, “cardoon”).

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈkak.tus/, [ˈkak.tʊs]

cactus m (genitive cactī); second declension

1. the cardoon, Cynara cardunculus

Second-declension noun.

• Translingual: Cactus

• cactus in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• cactus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette

See cacto.

cactus m (plural cactus)

1. Alternative form of cacto