Illustration of prickly pear
- prickly pear 1
prickly pear
noun
1
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
Examples of prickly pear in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Saguaros might reign supreme in the park, but cholla, prickly pear and barrel cactus also have a presence.
—
Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 27 Apr. 2026
The bar program, led by Jason Sorbet, balances classics with a few house signatures, including the Chloe Dancer — a mix of vodka, prickly pear liqueur, crème de mûre, lime, and soda—along with spirit-forward cocktails built around Tennessee whiskey.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Other local delicacies include mostarda—a sweet and spicy prickly pear jelly—and the savory scacciata, a flatbread filled with ingredients like vegetables, cheese, anchovies, and sausage.
—Erica Firpo, Travel + Leisure, 21 Apr. 2026
During your visit, keep an eye close to the ground to spot spider antelope horn, prairie ragwort, and even prickly pear cactus.
—Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Midwest Living, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prickly pear
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 27 Apr. 2026
The bar program, led by Jason Sorbet, balances classics with a few house signatures, including the Chloe Dancer — a mix of vodka, prickly pear liqueur, crème de mûre, lime, and soda—along with spirit-forward cocktails built around Tennessee whiskey.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Other local delicacies include mostarda—a sweet and spicy prickly pear jelly—and the savory scacciata, a flatbread filled with ingredients like vegetables, cheese, anchovies, and sausage.
—Erica Firpo, Travel + Leisure, 21 Apr. 2026
During your visit, keep an eye close to the ground to spot spider antelope horn, prairie ragwort, and even prickly pear cactus.
—Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Midwest Living, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prickly pear
Cite this Entry
“Prickly pear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prickly%20pear. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
