cereus

ce·re·us  (sîr-s)

n.

Any of several cacti of the genus Cereus or closely related genera, such as a night-blooming cereus.

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[New Latin Creus, genus name, from Latin creus, candle (from its shape), from cra, wax; see cerate.]

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cereus [ˈsɪərɪəs]

n

1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) any tropical American cactus of the genus Cereus, esp C. jamacaru of N Brazil, which grows to a height of 13 metres (40 feet)

2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) any of several similar and related cacti, such as the night-blooming cereus

[from New Latin, from Latin cēreus a wax taper, from cēra wax]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

Cereus - genus of much-branched treelike or shrubby cacti with pronounced ribs and rounded needlelike spines and nocturnal flowers usually white genus Cereus caryophylloid dicot genus - genus of relatively early dicotyledonous plants including mostly flowers Cactaceae, cactus family, family Cactaceae - constituting the order Opuntiales night-blooming cereus - any of several cacti of the genus Cereus