prickly pear

noun

1
or prickly pear cactus : opuntia
especially : an opuntia with flattened, usually paddle-shaped, jointed stem segments compare cholla, nopal
2
or prickly pear fruit : the pulpy, pear- or egg-shaped, edible, yellow to purplish-red fruit of various prickly pears (such as Opuntia ficus-indica) see tuna entry 2

Illustration of prickly pear

Illustration of prickly pear
  • prickly pear 1

Examples of prickly pear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The flavors feature Lychee, prickly pear, and spices. Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024 Niacinamide, glycerin, and prickly pear help with hydration, and vitamin E, allantoin and tremella mushroom help to keep skin soft and glowing. Emilia Benton, Glamour, 7 Aug. 2024 For example, Tucson’s prickly pear fruit could be replaced with pomegranate, the drought-tolerant fruit native to the Middle East. Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 3 June 2024 Christophe Robin Regenerating Mask $72 $50 Amazon Dull, dry hair is no match for Christophe Robin's Regenerating Mask, which uses prickly pear oil to boost shine and smooth frizz. Annie Blackman, Allure, 2 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for prickly pear 

Word History

First Known Use

1696, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of prickly pear was in 1696

Dictionary Entries Near prickly pear

Cite this Entry

“Prickly pear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prickly%20pear. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

prickly pear

noun
1
: any of numerous cacti with spines and usually flat stem segments
2
: the pear-shaped sweet edible pulpy fruit of a prickly pear

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