ocotillo

O1C3O1T1I1L1L1O1
/əʊkəˈtɪləʊ//əʊkəˈtiː(j)əʊ/

noun

Any of various succulent plants, not closely related to the cactus, in genus Fouquieria, especially Fouquieria splendens, living in Central America or the southwest United States.

Similar
boojum treecoachwhipJacob's staffvine cactusFouquieria splendens
OriginSpanish ocotillo →
UncommonScrabble 10
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Meanings

ocotillo1

nounocotillo (plural ocotillos)

plural ocotillos

  1. Any of various succulent plants, not closely related to the cactus, in genus Fouquieria, especially Fouquieria splendens, living in Central America or the southwest United States.

    It had rained in the night, and some of the ocotillo fences had sprouted some green.

    2006, Thomas Pynchon, Against the Day, Vintage, published 2007, page 731

    Synonyms: boojum tree, coachwhip, Jacob's staff, vine cactus

Ocotillo2

proper noun
  1. A census-designated place in Imperial County, California, United States.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounAny of various succulent plants, not closely related to the cactus, in genus Fouquieria, especially Fouquieria splendens, living in Central America or the southwest United States.

Similar
boojum treecoachwhipJacob's staffvine cactus

More synonyms by meaning

noundesert shrub of southwestern United States and Mexico having slender naked spiny branches that after the rainy season put forth foliage and clusters of red flowers

Similar
coachwhipJacob's staffvine cactusFouquieria splendens
Broader
candlewood
Also see
coachwhipjacob's staff

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Spanishocotillo
  2. Englishocotillo

From American Spanish ocotillo, from ocote.

More words from Spanish

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

ocotillo. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ocotillo

MLA

“ocotillo.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ocotillo. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ocotillo,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ocotillo.

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