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cactus

Flag: gbEnglishOxford Dictionary of English
cactus /ˈkaktəs /
▸ noun
(plural cacti /ˈkaktʌɪ/)
(plural or cactuses)
a succulent plant with a thick fleshy stem which typically bears spines, lacks leaves, and has brilliantly coloured flowers. Cacti are native to arid regions of the New World and are cultivated elsewhere, especially as pot plants.
Family Cactaceae: numerous genera and species.
– PHRASES
in the cactus Australian and New Zealand English informal
in difficulty or trouble:
he had promised to fetch Bobby by six; it was now close to midnight and he's in the cactus.
– DERIVATIVES
cactaceous /kakˈteɪʃəs/ adjective
– ORIGIN early 17th century (in the sense ‘cardoon’): from Latin, from Greek kaktos ‘cardoon’.