prickly pear: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, sometimes technical (botany)
Quick answer
What does “prickly pear” mean?
a type of cactus (genus Opuntia) with flat, rounded, spiny stem segments, and an edible fruit.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
a type of cactus (genus Opuntia) with flat, rounded, spiny stem segments, and an edible fruit.
Can refer to the plant, its edible fruit, or metaphorically to something or someone that is difficult to deal with or unpleasant.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties refer to the same plant and fruit. The term is equally understood.
Connotations
In both regions, it primarily denotes the plant/fruit. The metaphorical use for a difficult person/situation is less common but understood.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English due to the plant's prevalence in the southwestern US and Mexico.
Grammar
How to Use “prickly pear” in a Sentence
grow prickly pearsharvest prickly pearspeel a prickly peara patch of prickly pearas tough as a prickly pearVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “prickly pear” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- We found a prickly pear growing wild in Cornwall.
- Mind the glochids on that prickly pear!
American English
- They make a delicious jam from prickly pear in Arizona.
- The ranch was overrun with prickly pear cactus.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in contexts of agriculture, import/export, or specialty foods.
Academic
Used in botany, ecology, and culinary studies.
Everyday
Used when discussing plants, gardening, or exotic fruits.
Technical
Botanical term for species in the genus Opuntia.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “prickly pear”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “prickly pear”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “prickly pear”
- Misspelling as 'pricky pear'.
- Using it as a general term for any cactus.
- Confusing the plant ('nopal') with the fruit ('prickly pear' or 'tuna').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Prickly pear is a specific type of cactus fruit from the Opuntia genus. Not all cactus fruits are prickly pears.
Yes, but the skin must be peeled carefully to remove tiny, hair-like spines called glochids.
Yes, it is high in antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber, and is sometimes used in supplements.
It describes a situation or person that is troublesome, delicate, or difficult to deal with, akin to handling the spiny fruit.
a type of cactus (genus Opuntia) with flat, rounded, spiny stem segments, and an edible fruit.
Prickly pear is usually informal, sometimes technical (botany) in register.
Prickly pear: in British English it is pronounced /ˌprɪk.li ˈpeər/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌprɪk.li ˈper/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a prickly pear of a problem”
- “like trying to hug a prickly pear”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: It's a PEAR-shaped fruit that is PRICKLY.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOURCE DOMAIN: Spiny Plant/Fruit. TARGET DOMAIN: A difficult or defensive person/situation (e.g., 'He's a real prickly pear').
Practice
Quiz
What is 'nopal'?