pitcher plant

noun

: a plant (especially family Sarraceniaceae, the pitcher-plant family) with pitcher-shaped leaves in which insects are trapped and digested by means of a fluid secreted by the leaves

Examples of pitcher plant 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.
Native pitcher plants grow in clusters in the wetlands. — ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026 Step into a Victorian greenhouse where orchids bloom and pitcher plants bite. — Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026 Oh, and seeing hundreds of pitcher plants in the Madagascan rainforest. — Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Oct. 2023 Special collections include a pitcher plant bog, native azaleas and more than 15 cultivars of pawpaw. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 13 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pitcher plant

Word History

First Known Use

1810, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pitcher plant was in 1810

Rhymes for pitcher plant

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Browse Nearby Words

pitcher molding
pitcher plant
pitcher-plant family
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Cite this Entry

“Pitcher plant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pitcher%20plant. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

pitcher plant

noun
: any of various plants with modified leaves which form a tube resembling a pitcher for catching and digesting insects

More from Merriam-Webster on pitcher plant

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pitcher plant

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