Venus flytrap

American  

[vee-nuhs flahy-trap] / ˈvi nəs ˈflaɪˌtræp /

noun

1. a carnivorous plant, Dionaea muscipula, native to bogs of North Carolina and South Carolina, having roundish leaves with two lobes that close like a trap when tiny, sensitive hairs on their inner surfaces are irritated, as by a fly: classified as a vulnerable species and currently known to exist naturally only in sites within 56 miles (90 kilometers) of Wilmington, North Carolina.

---

Etymology

Origin of Venus flytrap

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Playing Alfie, he acted alongside a giant Venus flytrap in the retailer's annual festive marketing campaign.

From BBC • Nov. 20, 2023

I can always sit down and rewatch Michael Sheen describe his character Aro as a Venus flytrap with an unhinged quality, mirrored by his own devilish grin and flashing eyes.

From Salon • Nov. 14, 2023

Everything from crayfish and cacti to freshwater mussels and iconic American species such as the Venus flytrap are in danger of disappearing, a report released on Monday found.

From Reuters • Feb. 6, 2023

Flowering plants react to light, gravity, infection by pathogens, drought, and, as with the Venus flytrap, touch.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

“Yeah, yeah, I guess so,” he said, more enthusiastically, nodding, mouth open like a Venus flytrap.

From "Tradition" by Brendan Kiely