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Definition of venus flytrap
venus flytrap
Plural:Venus flytraps
venus flytrap Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
4
Tier
2
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A carnivorous plant native to subtropical wetlands on the East Coast of the United States, distinguished by specialized terminal leaves that snap shut when trigger hairs are touched in order to trap and digest insects.
Example
"She kept a small Venus flytrap in a terrarium on her desk, occasionally watching it snap shut to catch an unsuspecting housefly."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for venus flytrap• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Named in the 18th century after Venus, the Roman goddess of love, likely referencing its alluring, flower-like traps, combined with 'flytrap' to describe its carnivorous insect-catching mechanism.
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Venus flytrap. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/venus flytrap