fico d'India
masculine
The English phrase 'prickly pear' is translated into Italian as fico d'India. Wiktionary also lists ficodindia.
Meaning: any of various spiny cacti of the genus Opuntia (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | Note |
|---|---|
| fico d'India | masculine |
| ficodindia | masculine |
The term fico d'India refers to the various spiny cacti of the genus Opuntia, and it is used to describe both the plant itself and its edible fruit.
What does it mean word for word?
The term fico d'India literally translates to 'fig of India'.
How does it change in a sentence?
While the standard form is fico d'India, the two words can also be written as a single compound word: ficodindia.
Did you know?
- Despite the name, the 'India' in fico d'India does not refer to the country, but rather to the Americas where the plant originated.
- The word fico shares its spelling with a Romanesco slang term derived from efficace, meaning 'effective' or 'cool', though this is an entirely different etymological root than the fruit.
- In Italy, the fico d'India is often sold by street vendors who peel the fruit with a quick, expert knife stroke to remove the spines before handing it to the customer.
Examples in context
- Dove posso acquistare un fico d'India?Where can I purchase a prickly pear?
- Mi piacerebbe mangiare un ficodindia fresco.I would like to eat a fresh prickly pear.
- Il fico d'India cresce nel deserto.The prickly pear grows in the desert.
- Ho comprato un fico d'India molto grande.I bought a very large prickly pear.
- Attento, questo fico d'India ha molte spine.Watch out, this prickly pear has many spines.
Example conversation
Martina and Francesco are walking through a botanical garden.
- MartinaGuarda quel bellissimo fico d'India, Francesco!Look at that beautiful prickly pear, Francesco!
- FrancescoSì, è davvero imponente.Yes, it is truly imposing.
- MartinaNon toccarlo, ha troppe spine.Don't touch it, it has too many spines.
- FrancescoHai ragione, rimango a distanza.You're right, I'll keep my distance.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “prickly pear” translations and entries fico d'India, ficodindia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fico, CC BY-SA 4.0.
