saguaro

noun

sa·​gua·​ro sə-ˈwär-ə 

-ˈgwär-,

-ō 

plural saguaros

: a tall columnar usually sparsely-branched cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) of dry areas of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico that bears white flowers and a scaly reddish edible fruit and that may attain a height of up to 50 feet (16 meters)

called also giant cactus

Illustration of saguaro

Did you know?

Venture into the Arizonan desert on a May or June morning and you may see the saguaro in bloom. For many of our readers (such as those living in Arizona and southeastern California), this sight - and the word saguaro - won't be anything new. Or perhaps you know this emblem of all things Southwestern simply as the "giant cactus." The word saguaro originated in Ópata, a language spoken by peoples of the Sonoran Desert region of Mexico. It came into English by way of the Spanish spoken by the Mexican settlers of the American West. The very saguaros we see today may well have been around when the word was first noted, some 150 years ago - this amazing cactus can live for up to 200 years.

Examples of saguaro in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Mark shares that this is his first time encountering an elf owl and explains how these tiny, docile birds lead secluded lives, often nesting in saguaro cactus cavities made by woodpeckers. —Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 16 Dec. 2024

But as climate change makes heat waves more frequent, intense and long-lasting, experts say the increasingly severe conditions are testing some iconic desert plants known for their resilience — including saguaro cacti and agave. —Denise Chow, NBC News, 1 Sep. 2024

The efforts started in response to former President Donald Trump adding hundreds of miles of border walls that toppled untold numbers of saguaro cactuses in Arizona and passed through the biodiversity hotspot of Baja California. —Julie Watson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2024

The agave and saguaro cactus also depend on bats for their health. —Sarah Ann Dueñas, Austin American-Statesman, 17 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Mexican Spanish, probably from Ópata (Uto-Aztecan language of Sonora, Mexico)

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

saguaro

noun

sa·​gua·​ro sə-ˈwär-ə  -ˈwär-ō 

-ˈgwär-ō

plural saguaros

: a cactus of desert regions of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico that has a spiny branched trunk, bears white flowers and edible reddish fruit, and may reach a height of up to 50 feet (16 meters)