n.
Pronunciation: n ō - ' päl, - ' pal; ' n ō -p ə l
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural nopals or no · pal · es \ n ō - ' pä-l ā s, - ' pa- \
Etymology: Spanish, from Nahuatl nohpalli
Date: 1730
1 : any of a genus ( Nopalea ) of cacti of Mexico and Central America that differ from the prickly pears in having erect petals and scarlet flowers with the stamens much longer than the petals broadly : PRICKLY PEAR
2 : a fleshy young tender stem segment of the prickly pear cactus (esp. Opuntia ficus-indica ) or the nopal cactus used as food