# cactus

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈkæktəs/ · frequency rank #17,095

## Definitions
1. Any member of the family Cactaceae, a family of flowering New World succulent plants suited to a hot, semi-desert climate.
2. Any succulent plant with a thick fleshy stem bearing spines but no leaves, such as euphorbs.

## Etymology
From taxonomic name Cactus, a name given in 1752 by Linnaeus for a genus of cacti (now superseded by the genus name Mammillaria), from Latin cactus, from Ancient Greek κάκτος (káktos, “cardoon”), possibly of Pre-Greek origin.

## Easily confused with
- **cats** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cactus-vs-cats)
- **carts** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cactus-vs-carts)
- **Camus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cactus-vs-camus)
- **cates** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cactus-vs-cates)
- **campus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cactus-vs-campus)
- **caucus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cactus-vs-caucus)
- **callus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cactus-vs-callus)
- **cacti** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cacti-vs-cactus)
- **caches** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/caches-vs-cactus)

## Common misspellings (9)
`acctus`, `cacctus`, `cactsu`, `cacttus`, `cactuss`, `cacuts`, `catcus`, `ccactus`, `ccatus`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/cactus