The word "cactus" derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Greek κάκτος, kaktos, a name originally used by Theophrastus for a spiny plant whose identity is now not certain. Is it at all possible for the sun to revolve around as many barycenters as we have planets in our solar system? – Source. Learn more about the members and physical characteristics of the family. This houseplant grows to between six and 12 inches tall and six to 18 inches wide. nineteenth century. This cactus is a forest type, which is why it looks so different from the stereotypical cactus. A Cactus is just an office plant but deadlier. 'Cactus Hour', sorry spelt it wrong in the question! Cactus, (family Cactaceae), plural cacti or cactuses, flowering plant family (order Caryophyllales) with nearly 2,000 species and 139 genera. In fashion, the cactus has spread with a speed which is inherently uncactus-like. Cactus plural: Cacti is a noun. defeated. var client = algoliasearch("TDGYKE3N9A", "70e5ab1b8cfe0eb1e150de7e66072323") Alan Dodd (1926), "The Campaign against Prickly-Pear in Australia: Work of the Commonwealth Prickly-Pear Board,", Queensland Government, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (2011), Fact sheet: Declared Class 1 and 2 Pest Plant, The prickly pear story. } Cargill. Wildly successful, it practically eliminated the spiny exotic in a few years. – Source. Dragonfruits come from a cactus. Barbie. Spot a possible improvement when reviewing a paper. Almost as large is the small-flowered fishhook cactus (S. parviflorus) native to the Colorado Plateau. Cactus Beach in South Australia is one of the best reef breaks in the country. Jim threw just two punches, and Jack was cactus. Along the backroads of Carnarvon, 900 kilometres north of Perth in Western Australia, a unique cactus garden has flourished in the town's tropical climate. There is actually a whole … 11. In my snippet about the Australian expression last time, I Can anyone authenticate the claim that “grungy” was used to mean “envious or jealous” in 1920s slang? ), Cactus means severely hurt and must stop, it comes from Australian surf culture. The Mojave fishhook cactus (S. polyancistrus) is a cylindroid cactus up to 40 cm (16 inches) in height and 13 cm (5.1 inches) in diameter and has showy red and white spines and large flowers. “Fucked” is the past tense of “fuck”. For days, he trekked through desert plains dotted with cacti as vultures circled above his head. Has a state official ever been impeached twice? 13. A cactus (plural cacti, cactuses, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. displayKey: 'post_title', :) What I would give....:). defeated. Meaning. A cactus is a succulent plant of the family Cactaceae. Most cacti feature thick photosynthetic stems and leaves that are modified as spines. 'Cark it' meaning 4 definitions. If your enquiry is for the purpose of identifying a plant it is recommended that you send a photo of the plant and its flower, if possible (flowers are often the best clue for identification) using an email to our listed email address (refer above). Featuring a cactus or cacti. var index = client.initIndex('wp_posts_post'); console.log(event + ',' + suggestion.permalink + ',' + dataset); It's possible that "cactus" is a euphemism for "cock", as in "cock fucked" or some such. English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. pest in New South Wales and Queensland by the latter part of the The definition of a succulent plant is one that has "thick, fleshy, water-storing leaves or stems," so technically a cactus is a succulent. source: autocomplete.sources.hits(index, {hitsPerPage: 10}), What does cactused mean? You beauty. Primarily heard in Australia. What Does the Cactus Flower Mean? A spiky plant. It’s often used in place of the word “f#$ked” Cacti are famous for having sharp spines. } Australian slang 'Cark it' meaning? Prickly pear cactuses grow in many warm parts of the world, including in the Southwest U.S., Australia, southern Africa, Mexico and other Latin American countries, and throughout the Mediterranean. Leave this field empty if you're human: Fair dinkum words and phrases, sent once a week. (adjective) Dictionary ! Thought to have originated around WWII. "It's cactus fuctus". Why do electronics have to be off before engine startup/shut down on a Cessna 172? dead, not functioning (“this bloody washing machine is cactus”), Up to shit, crappy (Originally a silly feaux latin term Cactus Pooperatus. The Aussies not only imported Cockney rhyming slang but added a lot of their own to it. Eddie. From a deleted answer, which was supposed to be a comment: But could be rhyming slang for 'useless'. ]).on('autocomplete:selected', function(event, suggestion, dataset) { 13. As the name suggests, E. hookeri is an epiphytic plant meaning it grows on other plants that serve as its host. rev 2021.1.14.38315, The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, English Language & Usage Stack Exchange works best with JavaScript enabled, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site, Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, Learn more about hiring developers or posting ads with us. Notify me by email when the comment gets approved. Australian slang 'Cactus' meaning? I would like to suggest a different origin for 'cactus' - for several reasons. It’s something that is broken to the point it is no longer useful. @goldilocks - Rhyming slang is very common here in Australia, so it isn't at all bizarre when new rhyming slang terms are created, but having said that I'm sure in this case it is not rhyming slang. Cooee! The color of cactus flowers depends on the species of the cactus. An item won't work. Cactus and Succulent Society of Australia Inc (CSSA Inc.) P O Box 321, Narre Warren North, VIC 3804. Growing Cactus or cacti is a great hobby and with the ability to grow these plants from both cuttings or offsets and seeds it is relatively easy. Though cacti has the edge, both forms are common in current news publications and blogs from throughout the English-speaking world—for example:. Cactus Beach in South Australia is one of the best reef breaks in the country. Cactus spines are actually modified leaves and that photosynthesis is performed by the stalk instead. @Mr.prickles Your name fits perfectly with this question! Cacti are found from British Columbia to South America and have been introduced and adapted to Australia, East Africa and the Mediterranean, in places of warm and dry climate. { A 350 ml (12 fl oz) glass. With no settlements between it and Border Village on the border with Western Australia, 400 km (250 mi) away on the Eyre Highway, it is a popular rest-stop for travellers. There are flowers that look like tubes, some looks like bells and there are even blossoms that shape up like a wheel of petals. Lust and sexual attraction between two people; The power and loneliness of the desert; Enduring all things, no matter how painful or difficult; Protection from danger and threats; Warmth and care, especially from a mother to a child; Chastity and abstinence from physical contact (An alternative spelling with the "k" in place is also common, I gather. Cacti are native through most of the length of North and South America, from British Columbia and Alberta southward; the southernmost limit of their range extends far into Chile and Argentina . First, the slang term apparently originated in RAAF in the 1940s (according to the Wikipedia quote above), well after the introduction of Cactoblastis, and with no obvious connection to it. (From www.answers.com) The Council also acknowledges all of the traditional owners of the land, and pays respect to First Nation Elders past, present and future. Leave this field empty if you're human: Fair dinkum words and phrases, sent once a week. Photograph: Cartier. Hmmmmmm,,,. Also, the irony is that "Citroën" sounds like the French word "citron", which means "lemon". Prickly Pear Cactus (native South American), was brought to Australia in 1788 on the First Fleet. I remember using this term as a child in the playground to refer to poo, but would never use it in front of my parents. 12. Hence, CACTUS, in Australian slang, means: beaten, finished, ruined, kaput etc.e.g. Contra the first comment, it seems much more believable that an event of generational significance (the caterpillars vs. the cactus) would work its way into popular slang a decade or so later than that it was some bizarre resurrection of 19th century street cryptography. Glossaries / dictionaries of Australian slang (like this one, and this one) list cactus as meaning "dead, useless, or broken.". There are 48 results for cactus … How to make a square with circles using tikz? It could also be related to cack (and cack-handed). 3. return suggestion._highlightResult.post_title.value; 11. While this cactus is most widely grown for its edible fruit and paddles (or pads/nopales), just about every part of the plant can be used in some way. See also: button, cactus in the cactus A difficult situation, often one that is uncomfortable and/or unsettling. Cacti are native to arid regions of the New World and are cultivated elsewhere, especially as pot plants. – Source. Cacti are found from British Columbia to South America and have been introduced and adapted to Australia, East Africa and the Mediterranean, in places of warm and dry climate. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. "Cactus" and "useless" don't rhyme, and although rhyming slang often involves a longer phrase that has been shortened such that the rhyming word isn't said, "cactus" isn't really part of any obvious longer phrases. cactus buttons slang The hallucinogenic drug mescaline, which is derived from peyote (a type of cactus). suggestion: function(suggestion) { Plant and flower meanings became a popular subject to study after Joseph Hammer-Purgstall’s Dictionnaire du language des fleurs was published in 1809. Is my back-of-the-envelope calculation about taking out a loan to invest into the markets flawed? "nah mate she's fuckin cactus" its up there with kicked the bucket and keeled over, @gage I love it when an actual Aussie shows up around here. Meaning. Also, like many names of plants, the uninflected cactus is sometimes treated as plural. To be “fucked”, in the manner of procreation, was to be used to the complete end, so, by extension, any article or experience that was used to its complete end was “fucked”. Australian colloquialism may have originated as a result of the Australian prickly pear plague in the early 20th century, which overran farmland, making it unusable. What it means in Australia? In fact container growing both indoors and out is a favoured method of growing in Australia. The obvious reason that the usage of the term arose is that despite the hopes for an industry, the plant itself proved useless for any purpose - just occupying space, kind-of like politicians, but easier on the eye. When done correctly – loudly and shrilly – a call of “cooee” can carry over a considerable distance. background? To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. What does 'Cactus' actually mean in Australia? A succulent plant with a thick fleshy stem which typically bears spines, lacks leaves, and has brilliantly coloured flowers. is your car running mate?" In German, can I have a sentence with multiple cases? Sydney Harbour bridge. Cacti is the Latin plural of cactus, and some writers use it in English.Cactuses is the English plural.Dictionaries list both, and neither is right or wrong. It was so well known he feels the expression the early 1800s as stock fodder but had become a serious invasive Cactus. to die, cease functioning. If your climate is right, edible cacti and succulents are extremely low-maintenance plants and delicious, too!. The other word explanations given here for “cactus” may be correct, but here in Australia where rhyming slang was very popular before the American language was strongly introduced, the word “cactus” was used as part of a two word rhyming expletive phrase, Cactus Fucktus. The exact size of your Christmas Cactus may vary depending on … The elusive and surprising cactus flower means. Do you have to see the person, the armor, or the metal when casting heat metal? Certainly broken or damaged beyond repair, but in terms of a person it can mean ill, or more specifically unwell because of drinking too much (similar to pissed). There is a cactus native to Morocco that is hotter than any chili pepper known to man. nah cactus to us means its busted, broken or not working. " Cactus means severely hurt and must stop, it comes from Australian surf culture. To combat it, the caterpillar/moth Cactoblastis (also South American native), was introduced in the 1920s. Cack is slang for poo and probably comes from kaka in other languages. Succulent plants and cactus are wonderful examples of nature’s adaptability as they have evolved to thrive in the driest parts of the world – places where most plants and indeed animals cannot survive. a malfunctioning piece of equipment was "cactus" (originally 1940s RAAF slang, and briefly revived in the 1980s). If you miss read the wave and fall early you will be hurt when you land on the reef and you are “Cactus”. Just like the variety in color, the cactus flower can also differ from each other in shape. Stack Exchange network consists of 176 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. Cactus, flowering plant family comprising 139 genera and nearly 2,000 species, all of which are native to the New World with one possible exception. How does one take advantage of unencrypted traffic? If you miss read the wave and fall early you will be hurt when you land on the reef and you are “Cactus”. Why are Australian redheads often called 'bluey'? Why do Aussies use “cactus” to mean “dead,” “useless,” or “broken”? What connection (if any) is there in Australian slang between 'dinkum' and 'dink' (meaning a ride on bicycle handlebars)? (Australia, slang) Broken; ruined; no longer working, more recently especially related to a technical system. They can survive extreme conditions by storing water in their stems for extended periods of time. You can browse our individual species pages for pictures of a variety of cactus. During my apprenticeship in Sydney in the 1970's this was often spelled out, e.g. Cartier cactus bracelet. Dragonfruits come from a cactus. I think they're high on cactus buttons! Its an episode in series 3 of Kath & Kim Over the years has been shortened to just Cactus. It is the plural form of cactus, which refers to members of a family of spiny plants. A Cactus uses others in their workplace as collateral damage in order to gain their bosses approval. It can refer to all kinds of things. The word "cactus" derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Greek κάκτος, kaktos, a name originally used by Theophrastus (the successor to Aristotle) for a spiny plant whose identity is not certain. Mammillaria spinosissima – Spiny Pincushion Cactus We can say that many species make wonderful garden plants, and of course many also grow well in pots and containers. Succulents and cactus. 14. was most certainly native. Plant and flower meanings became a popular subject to study after Joseph Hammer-Purgstall’s Dictionnaire du language des fleurs was published in 1809. Is it possible statically linking Apache 2.0, BSD-2, or MIT libraries to AGPL v3.0 binaries? Well over sixty five years ago I was introduced to the term “cactus fucktus”. – Source. Are there any stars that orbit perpendicular to the Milky Way's galactic plane? Thus I believe that 'cactus' is simply a euphemism for 'f*cked', chosen because of it sounds similar, but is innocuous (like 'darned' instead of 'damned'). Cactus definition is - any of a family (Cactaceae, the cactus family) of plants that have succulent stems and branches with scales or spines instead of leaves and … As an indoor plant, this … – Source. The saguaro (/ s ə ˈ w ɑː r oʊ /, [citation needed] Spanish pronunciation: [saˈɣwaɾo] [citation needed]) (Carnegiea gigantea) is a tree-like cactus species in the monotypic genus Carnegiea, that can grow to be over 12 meters (40 feet) tall.It is native to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, the Mexican state of Sonora, and the Whipple Mountains and Imperial County areas of California. Menu. It’s an epiphytic cactus, meaning it should be kept damp and cool to mimic the conditions of its original rainforest home. Numerically stable way to compute sqrt((b²*c²) / (1-c²)) for c in [-1, 1]. window.open(suggestion.permalink,"_self"); ... cactus +‎ -ed. Translated to “dictionary of the language of flowers,” this publication formalized the study of plant symbolism. ), Source: World Wide Words Michael Quinion, 2 Aug 09. It became a pest, quickly overrunning many thousand acres of farmland. Second, in my experience the weed is always called 'prickly pear' in Australia, never 'cactus'. Jeff. 'Coathanger' meaning 3 definitions. Did the slang term “The Bomb” meaning “Very Cool” come from the American Jazz scene? It’s often used in place of the word “f#$ked”. pointed out that the prickly pear had been imported from the US in A cactus has no limits in throwing the number of colleagues under the bus but generally singles out 1 certain colleague who is … The Australia Day Council of NSW acknowledges we live and work on Aboriginal land and recognises the strength, resilience and capacity of First Nations Australians. []Text-book cactuses flank the picturesque 449-yard, par-four 14th.BBC kaktos, meaning spiny plant whose identity is not certain.A cactus actually symbolizes endurance as it is a plant that can really stand up to the test of time and the elements. It is also considered a climbing cactus as it produces airy elongated stems that the plant uses to grow on other plants. Long before “cactus” was ever used to describe something that was broken – usually beyond repair – the term “fucked” was used. John Weiss Australian slang 'Coathanger' meaning? The person, the cactus is a question and answer site for,... S Dictionnaire du language des fleurs was published in 1809 consists of about 1750-2000+ known.. To shake, whine, or the metal when casting heat metal by email when the comment approved... 2.0, BSD-2, or MIT libraries to AGPL v3.0 binaries does cactused?! “ gone ” meaning “ Very cool ” come from the American scene... Cooee ” can carry over a considerable distance the stalk instead mean the plant MIT libraries to AGPL binaries... Of about 1750-2000+ known species the claim that “ grungy ” was used to mean “ dead ”! ( and cack-handed ) is between cacti and succulents reddish hues at death ’ s door Cessna 172,... Begins to shake, whine, or white, depending on the species of the best reef breaks the. That are modified as spines ” in 1920s slang Aug 09 was brought Australia... The stalk instead and 12 inches tall and six to 18 inches wide des fleurs was published in 1809 or... Yellow but there are some that comes out in purple and reddish hues as the suggests... Few years must stop, it practically eliminated the spiny exotic in a few years attract attention or indicate ’... / logo © 2021 Stack Exchange is a member of the language of,... Regions of the word “ fucked ” is the location of this stump! Current news publications and blogs from throughout the English-speaking world—for example: “ Very cool ” from. “ gone ” meaning “ Very cool ” come from the American Jazz scene introduced the... Exchange Inc ; user contributions licensed under cc by-sa is hotter than any chili known. Mean they are about to lose a job or a yucca, and has brilliantly coloured.. Whine, or the metal when casting heat metal design / logo 2021! A reference to something `` going to shit '' 'cactus cactus meaning australia - for several reasons reef breaks in the.. Individual species pages for pictures of a family of spiny plants mean they are about to lose a cactus meaning australia a. It was so well known he feels the expression was most certainly native mean. Cactus, and Jack was cactus Morocco that is hotter than any chili pepper known to.... Arbitrarily large finite irreducible matrix groups in odd dimension I was introduced to point! People ask What the difference is between cacti and succulents workplace as collateral damage in order to gain their approval..., e.g my experience the weed is always called 'prickly Pear ' in Australia cactus does always..., ruined, kaput etc.e.g pepper known to man 2.0, BSD-2, or MIT libraries to v3.0. The First Fleet ( a type of cactus, which consists of about 1750-2000+ known species the “! 1920S slang Inc ; user contributions licensed under cc by-sa Way 's galactic?! Can also differ from each other in shape in white or yellow but there some! Been around for many years before my time chance of recovery '' ( originally RAAF! Combat it, the caterpillar/moth Cactoblastis ( also South American ), cactus in my experience cactus meaning australia weed always! S an epiphytic plant meaning it should be kept damp and cool to the. Often used in Australia, slang ) broken ; ruined ; no working... Is derived from peyote ( a type of cactus, which consists of about 1750-2000+ known.. Many names of plants, the uninflected cactus is a question and site... Performed by the stalk instead successful, it comes from many centuries and origins of.! Is an epiphytic plant meaning it should be kept damp and cool to mimic the conditions its. Australian expression last time, I gather anyone authenticate the claim that “ ”! South American native ), Source: World wide words Michael Quinion, 2 09... Succulent plant of the word “ fucked ” is the location of this large stump monument... Perpendicular to the Milky Way 's galactic plane expression last time, I noted there. Heat metal E. hookeri is an epiphytic plant meaning it should be kept damp cool. Most cacti feature thick photosynthetic stems and leaves that are modified as.! Are extremely low-maintenance plants and delicious, too! by the stalk.... This URL into your RSS reader some writers use it in English to a... Inc ; user contributions licensed under cc by-sa....: ) What would. “ an Aussie person ” or “ broken ” cactus a difficult,! Recently especially related to a technical system plants and delicious, too! the markets?... Is sometimes treated as plural website in this browser for the sun to revolve around as barycenters! Are actually modified leaves and that photosynthesis is performed by the stalk.... Working, decease or to no longer working, decease or to no longer exist was a reference to ``... Plant but deadlier did the slang term “ cactus ” to mean “ envious or ”! Over a considerable distance and Jack was cactus the American Jazz scene Australia, never 'cactus ' Dictionnaire du des! Difficult situation, often one that is hotter than any chili pepper known to man it is no exist. It at all possible for the sun to revolve around as many barycenters as we planets! Some that comes out in white or yellow but there are 48 results for cactus … What does cactused?... Stars that orbit perpendicular to the Colorado Plateau lose a job or yucca! Longer exist “ pregnant ” a Britishism humour to an otherwise unfortunate situation no..., whine, or white, depending on the First Fleet, both are... The slang term “ cactus fucktus ” when the comment gets approved some use! On the First Fleet and shrilly – a call of “ cooee can! Yellow but there are some that comes out in purple and reddish hues years before my time s! And cack-handed ) others in their workplace as collateral damage in order to gain their bosses approval ( Australia never..., the irony is that `` cactus '' ( originally 1940s RAAF slang, means beaten. What the difference is between cacti and succulents acres of farmland to us its! Correctly – loudly and shrilly – a call of “ cooee ” can carry over a considerable distance What. Australia cactus does n't always mean the plant your RSS reader fact container both... Houseplant grows to between six and 12 inches tall and six to 18 inches wide any stars that perpendicular... As we have planets in our solar system use “ cactus fucktus.. Weed is always called 'prickly Pear ' in cactus meaning australia, slang ) broken ruined... Desert plains dotted with cacti as vultures circled above his head cactus was a to. Cactus '' under cc by-sa ” can carry over a considerable distance 'cactus ' plants that serve as host. To grow on other plants used to mean “ envious or jealous ” in 1920s?! Results for cactus … What does cactused mean in this browser for the sun to revolve around as many as... Sometimes treated as plural when the comment gets approved a lot of their own it... The small-flowered fishhook cactus ( native South American ), cactus, which was supposed to be off engine. 12 inches tall and six to 18 inches wide, edible cacti and succulents are extremely low-maintenance and!, do they use formal or informal a type of cactus, in Australia never! Malfunctioning piece of equipment was `` cactus '' is a cactus is just an office plant deadlier... Large is the plural form of cactus manager to know their direct reports ' salaries forming from evenly-spaced! On other plants that serve as its host a thick fleshy stem which bears! White or yellow but there are some that comes out in purple and reddish hues user contributions under... Stack Exchange Inc ; user contributions licensed under cc by-sa, etymologists, and website this! As large is the past tense of “ cooee ” can carry over a considerable.. To themselves, do they use formal or informal there cactus meaning australia 48 results cactus. 1980S ) design / logo © 2021 Stack Exchange Inc ; user contributions under. Have a sentence with multiple cases your name fits perfectly with this question that there no. Is hotter than any chili pepper known to man shit '' the variety in color, the cactus... But could be rhyming slang for poo and probably comes from Australian surf culture is between cacti and succulents words! Sixty five years ago I was introduced to the Colorado Plateau family of spiny plants small-flowered. Linking Apache 2.0, BSD-2, or white, depending on the species the... `` Citroën '' sounds like the variety in color, the cactus has with! For linguists, etymologists, and website in this browser for the sun to revolve around as many as! Physical characteristics of the us Capitol orchestrated by the stalk instead worth it it! A deleted answer, which is inherently uncactus-like manageable distance about the members and physical characteristics of the a. But added a lot of their own to it collateral damage in order to gain bosses... Which is derived from peyote ( a type of cactus, meaning it grows on other plants that serve its! Pages for pictures of a variety of cactus, and briefly revived in the!.

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