cactus

American  

[kak-tuhs] / ˈkæk təs /

noun

plural

cacti, cactuses, cactus

1. any of numerous succulent plants of the family Cactaceae, of warm, arid regions of the New World, having fleshy, leafless, usually spiny stems, and typically having solitary, showy flowers.

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cactus British  

/ kækˈteɪʃəs, ˈkæktəs /

noun

1. any spiny succulent plant of the family Cactaceae of the arid regions of America. Cactuses have swollen tough stems, leaves reduced to spines or scales, and often large brightly coloured flowers

2. a double-flowered variety of dahlia

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Usage

Plural word for cactus The plural form of cactus can be either cacti, cactuses, or cactus. Cacti is most commonly used. Like many words derived from Latin, it is pluralized by replacing the -us ending with -i, as in fungus/fungi and nucleus/nuclei. However, the plural form cactuses, created by adding the typical -es to the end, is also correct. This alternative plural form is also acceptable for some other Latin-derived or related terms, as in focus/foci/focuses and radius/radii/radiuses.

Other Word Forms

• cactaceous adjective
• cactoid adjective
• cactuslike adjective

Etymology

Origin of cactus

1600–10; < Latin < Greek káktos cardoon

Example Sentences

It takes in the affluent enclaves of Scottsdale and Paradise Valley and — where the urban sprawl finally yields to cactus, palo verde and other flora — Carefree and the Old West-themed Cave Creek.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 15, 2026

The video for Opalite premiered on Friday, and stars Irish actor Domhnall Gleeson as a "lonely man" who summons Swift into his life by spraying a magic potion on his beloved cactus.

From BBC • Feb. 6, 2026

Bezos and Sanchez have placed the sauna, which is understood to have been designed by Timothy Oulton Studio, near the cactus garden.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 26, 2025

They use playa names, such as cactus or fuzzypants, making possible suspects hard to identify.

From Salon • Oct. 27, 2025

“Plain things—jars, petates, cactus, old fountains, old walls, old faces. Whatever I like I will snap. Maybe even sell,” she adds.

From "Beast Rider" by Tony Johnston & María Elena Fontanot de Rhoads