cereus

[ seer-ee-uhs ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, plural ce·re·us·es.

any of various plants of the genus Cereus, of the cactus family, having large, usually white, funnel-shaped flowers.
any of several related, similar plants, especially of the genera Hylocereus, Nyctocereus, and Selenicereus.

cereus

/ ˈsɪərɪəs /

any tropical American cactus of the genus Cereus, esp C. jamacaru of N Brazil, which grows to a height of 13 metres (40 feet)
any of several similar and related cacti, such as the night-blooming cereus

Origin of cereus¹

1720–30; < New Latin, Latin cēreus wax candle, noun use of cēreus cereous

Origin of cereus¹

C18: from New Latin, from Latin cēreus a wax taper, from cēra wax

Some of the most common species in cultivation are the Phyllocactus species, often called the Night-blooming Cereus.

Pluck them with me; they are sweet, delicate, and lustrous to look upon, even as the night-blowing cereus.

Systematically it belongs to the Cereus family, in which the notable Night-blooming Cereus also is naturally included.

Once more the night-blooming cereus oped its dank petals; and amid its murky fragrance I sank to rest.

But opposite the drawing-room window rose a Candelabra Cereus, thirty feet high.

April 23, 2024inveterate

[in-vet-er-it ]

Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

Browse