# nopalery

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈnəʊp(ə)ləɹi/

## Definitions
1. A plantation of nopal (a prickly pear cactus of the genus Opuntia, especially Opuntia cochinellifera) used as food for the cochineal insect (Dactylopius coccus), which is raised to produce carmine dye.

## Etymology
From nopal + -ery (suffix forming nouns indicating places of arts, crafts, or practices), modelled after French nopalerie. Nopal is borrowed from Spanish nopal, from Classical Nahuatl nohpalli (“cactus of the genus Opuntia”), from Proto-Uto-Aztecan [Term?].

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