triffid

Noun

triffid (plural triffids)

1. A fictional plant, able to move around and kill people with a poisonous stinger
   • But this should not lead to complete avoidance, as if it is like some dire incursion of triffids or ents.2003, Allen Paterson, Trees for Your Garden, page 180
2. (colloquial) Any of the sea anemones of the genus Aiptasia with poisonous tentacles, which are a pest in aquaria.
   • The plant is also very rare (related to triffids ... be wary) as it acts like a venus fly trap except it gives its catches to the fish, a truly symbiotic relationship2000 February 8, Silvaa, “betta w/ plant”, in rec.aquaria.marine.misc (Usenet)
   • I too suffer from the dreaded Triffids !!! If you want a safer method of removal : I use boiling hot water and the syringe method.2003 January 5, Jason, “What is this on my rock?”, in rec.aquaria.marine.misc (Usenet)
3. Any large, fast-growing and hard-to-remove weed, such as the flowering shrub Chromolaena odorata.
   • Perhaps the BBC could get the Radio 2 King of the Tomatoes to come back and tell us what programmes to play to discourage rampant growth in minor forests of giant bindweed, monster nettles and apprentice triffids.1975 March 6, Patrick Ryan, “Top Pop Tomato”, in New Scientist, page 584
   • But some of them are multiplying fast, and those dismissed as trivial today, because they only infest a few road verges, may well turn into triffids tomorrow.1999, Tim Low, Feral Future: The Untold Story of Australia's Exotic Invaders, University of Chicago Press, →ISBN