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Succulent vs Cactus - What's the difference?

succulent | cactus |

Cactus is a hypernym of succulent.



In botany terms the difference between succulent and cactus

is that succulent is having fleshy leaves or other tissues that store water while cactus is any member of the family Cactaceae, a family of flowering New World succulent plants suited to a hot, semi-desert climate.

As adjectives the difference between succulent and cactus

is that succulent is juicy or lush while cactus is non-functional, broken, exhausted.

As nouns the difference between succulent and cactus

is that succulent is a succulent plant (such as cactus while cactus is any member of the family Cactaceae, a family of flowering New World succulent plants suited to a hot, semi-desert climate.

succulent

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • juicy or lush
  • interesting or delectable
  • (botany) having fleshy leaves or other tissues that store water

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • a succulent plant (such as cactus)

    • cactus

    English

    Noun

  • (botany) Any member of the family Cactaceae, a family of flowering New World succulent plants suited to a hot, semi-desert climate.
  • Any succulent plant with a thick fleshy stem bearing spines but no leaves, including euphorbs.

    • Usage notes

    In modern English, the term cactus' properly refers to plants belonging to the family Cactaceae. With one exception, all are native to the New World (the Americas). The sole exception is , a jungle epiphyte found in tropical Africa, Madagascar, and Sri Lanka, as well as North and South America. Informally, '''cactus is used to refer to any stem ''succulent'' adapted to a dry climate, notably species from genus ''Euphorbia with forms reminiscent of Cactaceae. To be precise, these succulents are correctly described as "cactoid" or "cactiform" unless they are actual members of the Cactaceae.

    Hypernyms

    * (member of Cactaceae) succulent

    Hyponyms

    * (member of Cactaceae) nopal, saguaro

    Related terms

    * cactaceous * cactal * cactoid

    Derived terms

    * barrel cactus * beehive cactus * bird's nest cactus * cactus cat * cactuslike * cactus wren * compass cactus * crown cactus * dumpling cactus * feather cactus * finger cactus * fishhook cactus * foxtail cactus * hedgehog cactus * horse crippler cactus * ladyfinger cactus * mistletoe cactus * nipple cactus * noncactus * old lady cactus * orchid cactus * organ pipe cactus * pencil cactus * Rainbow cactus * rattail cactus * strawberry cactus * thimble cactus * willow cactus, willow-cactus

    Adjective

    (-)
  • (Australia, NZ, slang) Non-functional, broken, exhausted.
  • * {{quote-newsgroup, title=TV Problems
    • , group=aus.electronics , author=Dave , date=July 8 , year=2001 , passage=I wouldn't mind throwing it away if it's cactus except for the VCR part which works fine, so then I'd be up for a new VCR as well. citation
  • * {{quote-newsgroup, title=water damage ???
    • , group=alt.cellular.nokia , author=AC , date=August 25 , year=2004 , passage=I would say it's cactus . Water conducts & destroys components & PCBs very easily. Hence the water-resistant phones. citation
  • * 2009 , Will Chaffey, Swimming with Crocodiles: An Australian Adventure , page 108,
    • ‘It?s cactus ,’ Rod, the helicopter pilot, said at the sound of the piston ring shattering.

    See also

    * succulent * (Cactus) * English nouns with irregular plurals ----