carnivorous plant
1
4.6
- noun
- /ˌkɑrnɪˈvɔrəs plænt/
:
planta carnívora
- In the rainforest, the carnivorous plant used its sticky leaves to trap unsuspecting insects.
- carnivorous plant species
- Carnivorous plants grow
- a large carnivorous plant
I have a bog of carnivorous plants outside which are thriving off of all of these beautiful flies that they're catching.
- I have a bog of carnivorous plants outside which are thriving off of all of these beautiful flies that they're catching.
Examples
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This carnivorous plant has hollow, pitcher-shaped leaves that each contain a small pool of rainwater, in which their victims drown.
Academic text (1992) -
I have a bog of carnivorous plants outside which are thriving off of all of these beautiful flies that they're catching.
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I think carnivorous plants are so cool.
Blog text (1) -
It's a giant carnivorous plant, Sam.
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Although they present no obvious danger to even the smallest of humans, carnivorous plants
Academic text (2002) -
This carnivorous plant is found naturally occurring east of the Mississippi and throughout southern Canada in bogs and wet meadows.
Academic text (2011) -
Bogs are home to a large number of carnivorous plant species, such as sundews, butterworts, bladderworts, and pitcher plants.
Academic text (2002) -
For example, seepage bogs contain colorful arrays of carnivorous plants in communities that rival rainforests in diversity, with more than 50 species of plants per square meter, by some estimates.
Academic text (2008) -
Habitats in that region include sandy beaches along both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico and, farther inland, forests of longleaf pine and boggy tracts rich in carnivorous plants.
Academic text (2010) -
Many gardeners enjoy growing carnivorous plants like the Venus flytrap for their unique appearance.
Synonyms
4
4.1
A plant that catches and digests insects for food
1
9.9
A small plant that eats insects with sticky leaves, often found in wet places
A small plant that eats insects by snapping its leaves shut quickly
A plant that lives many years and uses sticky leaves to catch and digest insects
A group of small plants with sticky leaves that catch and eat insects
How Carnivorous
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a plant that attracts and eats animals/insects' is directly and compositionally derived from 'carnivorous' (feeding on animals) + 'plant' (a photosynthetic organism). This adjective+noun pattern is standard and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Carnivorous plant gives a clear picture: carnivorous means 'eat meat'. So a plant that traps and digests insects and small animals to get food is called a carnivorous plant.