1
Stage 1 of 3
nohpalli
Nahuatl · pre-1500s
"prickly pear cactus"
named the prickly pear cactus itself
2
Stage 2 of 3
nopal
Spanish · 1600s
"prickly pear cactus, especially its edible pads"
shortened and adopted into Mexican Spanish
3
Stage 3 of 3
nopal
English · 1690s
"the edible pad of the prickly pear cactus"
borrowed into English by explorers and botanists describing New World plants
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