noun, plural cac·ti [kak-tahy] /ˈkæk taɪ/, cac·tus·es, cac·tus.
Origin of cactus
Examples from the Web for cacti
Historical Examples of cacti
The cacti arose higher, and you could say that they grew on the head of one another.Sielanka: An Idyll
Nopalry: a plantation of cacti for raising cochineal insects.Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology
John. B. Smith
Leaving the path to our left, we made our way among the cacti.Adventures of a Young Naturalist
All present knew the meaning of this, and regarded the cacti with a murmur of satisfaction.The Scalp Hunters
She fell, and cursed aloud as she felt the sting of cacti spines in her palm.The Lady Doc
noun plural -tuses or -ti (-taɪ)
Word Origin for cactus
c.1600, from Latin cactus "cardoon," from Greek kaktos, name of a type of prickly plant of Sicily (the Spanish artichoke), perhaps of pre-Hellenic origin. Modern meaning is 18c., because Linnaeus gave the name to a group of plants he thought were related to this but are not.