Venus flytrap

noun

Venus fly·​trap -ˈflī-ˌtrap How to pronounce Venus flytrap (audio)
: an insectivorous plant (Dionaea muscipula) of the sundew family of the Carolina coast with the leaf apex modified into an insect trap

called also Venus's-flytrap

Illustration of Venus flytrap

Illustration of venus flytrap

Examples of Venus flytrap in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Featuring green skin, fiery red tresses, and toxic red lips, Poison Ivy even comes armed with a Venus flytrap and bow and arrow. Ew Staff, EW.com, 20 Nov. 2024 The creatures use their hoods to trap prey—primarily shrimp—with a technique akin to how a Venus flytrap captures bugs. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Nov. 2024 Find peace in the Zen Garden, a traditional Japanese space for meditation, or gander at the Carnivorous Bog Garden, with Venus flytraps with jaws wide open. Judy Garrison, Southern Living, 16 Oct. 2024 Carnivorous plants have evolved all kinds of traps and tricks to capture their prey, from the snapping jaws of Venus flytraps to the slippery walls of pitcher plants. Bykevin McLean, science.org, 13 Feb. 2024 Perhaps Wilmington’s greatest boast is its Venus flytraps. John Jeremiah Sullivan, Travel + Leisure, 24 July 2024 Life How Venus flytraps give scientists insights on consciousness and anesthesia Anesthesia causes animals and humans to lose consciousness. Big Think, 24 June 2024 For a bit more nature, head to Carolina Beach State Park (home to the Venus flytrap) to try your hand at kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding. Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 18 May 2024 This classic summer vacation spot is also home to natural gifts, including Carolina Beach State Park, with some of the area's finest fishing and the Flytrap Trail, named for the carnivorous Venus flytrap plants along its path. Tracey Minkin, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Venus flytrap was in 1930

Dictionary Entries Near Venus flytrap

Cite this Entry

“Venus flytrap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Venus%20flytrap. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

Venus flytrap

noun
variants or Venus's-flytrap
: an insect-eating plant that grows along the Carolina coast and has the tip of each leaf formed into an insect trap
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