opuntia Hear it!

opuntia definition

opun·tia (ō pun′s̸hē ə, -s̸hə)

noun

any of a large genus (Opuntia) of cactus plants with red, purple, or yellow flowers, pulpy or dry berries, and fleshy, jointed stems, including the prickly pears and chollas

Etymology: ModL < L (herba) Opuntia, (plant) of Opus, city in Locris

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.