Search Dictionary
Definition of barrel cactus
barrel cactus
Plural:barrel cacti
• noun
1
Any of various stout, cylindrical, barrel-shaped cacti (especially of the genera Ferocactus and Echinocactus) native to the deserts of the southwestern United States and Mexico, characterized by prominent vertical ribs and heavy spines.
Example
"While hiking through the Sonoran Desert, the botanist stopped to document a massive barrel cactus adorned with bright yellow flowers."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for barrel cactus• Nearby Words
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Barrel cactus. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/barrel-cactus