nopales

N1O1P3A1L1E1S1
UK/nəʊˈpɑːlɛz/

noun

The leaves of a prickly pear cactus, as used in Mexican cooking.

Similar
cactus paddles
OriginSpanish nopales →
Scrabble 9
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Meanings

nounnopales pl (plural only)
  1. pluralplural onlyThe leaves of a prickly pear cactus, as used in Mexican cooking.

    After a day and a half's journey, El Espinero led Frank to a long-abandoned silver working, high over the plain, where nopales grew and lizards lay in the sun.

    2006, Thomas Pynchon, Against the Day, Vintage, published 2007, page 441

    Synonyms: cactus paddles

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe leaves of a prickly pear cactus, as used in Mexican cooking.

Similar
cactus paddles
Also see
nopal

Origin

  1. Spanishnopales
  2. Englishnopales

From Spanish nopales, plural of nopal.

More words from Spanish

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

nopales. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nopales

MLA

“nopales.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nopales. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nopales,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nopales.

Source: nopales on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.