cereus
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
Related to cereus: Bacillus cereus
ce·re·us
(sîr′ē-əs)n.
Any of various cacti that belong to or formerly belonged to the genus Cereus, such as a night-blooming cereus.
[New Latin Cēreus, genus name, from Latin cēreus, candle (from its shape), from cēra, wax; see cerate.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
cereus
(ˈsɪərɪəs)n
1. (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. (Plants) any of several similar and related cacti, such as the night-blooming cereus
[C18: from New Latin, from Latin cēreus a wax taper, from cēra wax]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ce•re•us
(ˈsɪər i əs)n., pl. -us•es.
any of various plants of the genus Cereus, of the cactus family, having large, usu. white, funnel-shaped flowers.
[1720–30; < New Latin, Latin cēreus wax candle cēra wax]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  Cereus - genus of much-branched treelike or shrubby cacti with pronounced ribs and rounded needlelike spines and nocturnal flowers usually whitecaryophylloid dicot genus - genus of relatively early dicotyledonous plants including mostly flowers night-blooming cereus - any of several cacti of the genus Cereus |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.