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

• prickly pear 1

Examples of prickly pear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

After the flowers have run their course, prickly pear cactuses bear fruit, prickly pears (sometimes also called tuna), which are sweet and edible and often made into a jelly. —Mae Hamilton, AFAR Media, 25 Mar. 2025

Some fruits, like prickly pear, jackfruit, durian, and blackberries, are high in magnesium. —Jillian Kubala, Health, 24 Feb. 2025

Celebrating Tucson’s heritage is also important at Maynard’s Kitchen & Bottle Shop, a restaurant in a historic train station where guests may find dishes with squash blossom, prickly pear or agave on a special dinner menu. —Rona Berg, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025

Lead by the restorative properties of prickly pear oil, this rich mask helps restore the hair shaft, improve split ends, and achieve overall healthier hair. —Kiana Murden, Vogue, 23 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1696, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for prickly pear

• aftercare
• anywhere
• billionaire
• chinaware
• debonair
• dinnerware
• disrepair
• doctrinaire
• earthenware
• everywhere
• frigidaire
• kitchenware

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