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Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. n. Any of various clump-forming, perennial Australian grasses, chiefly of the genus Triodia, growing in arid regions and having awl-shaped, pointed leaves.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. n. In Australia, any one of several species of grasses having stiff, sharp-pointed leaves or spiny flower-clusters, especially the two following, distantly related species: Spinifex hirsutus, the hairy spinifex or spiny rolling-grass. See under rolling-grass.
  2. n. Triodia irritans, the desert spinifex, more often called porcupine-grass. See porcupine-grass, 2.

Wiktionary

  1. n. An Australian coastal grass in genus Spinifex

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. n. (Bot.) A genus of chiefly Australian grasses, the seeds of which bear an elastic spine. Spinifex hirsutus (black grass) and Spinifex longifolius are useful as sand binders. Spinifex paradoxusis a valuable perennial fodder plant. Also, a plant of this genus.
  2. n. Any of several Australian grasses of the genus Tricuspis, which often form dense, almost impassable growth, their leaves being stiff and sharp-pointed.

Etymologies

  1. New Latin Spīnifex, former genus name : Latin spīna, thorn + Latin -fex; see dhē- in Indo-European roots. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)

Examples

  • “The slopes of the tableland were grassed with spinifex, which is almost worthless.”

    Journal of Landsborough's Expedition from Carpentaria In search of Burke and Wills

  • “Triodia: Sometimes called spinifex, or porcupine grass, is a true desert plant, and at the end of each leaf it is so armed with short prickles that horses dread going through it, and stock never touch it except when it is very young or they are starving.”

    Journal of Landsborough's Expedition from Carpentaria In search of Burke and Wills

  • “The only game found in the spinifex is a kangaroo rat, commonly called the wirrup; but in the grassy openings there are many kangaroos, and often emus, also a rat known as the wurrung.”

    Explorations in Australia, Illustrated,

  • “Approaching the pillar from the south, the traveller must pass over a series of red sandhills, covered with some scrubs, and clothed near the ground with that abominable vegetable production, the so-called spinifex or porcupine grass -- botanically, the Triodia, or Festuca irritans.”

    Australia Twice Traversed, Illustrated,

  • “I am told that the term "spinifex," though generally employed by those who have the pleasure of the acquaintance of the plant, is wrongly used.”

    Spinifex and Sand

  • “There are two varieties of spinifex known to bushmen -- "spinifex" and”

    Spinifex and Sand

  • “After two hours on an empty highway, our driver dropped us off with a few cheerful words of warning about something called "spinifex" and a promise to pick us up in five days from Standley Chasm, the next trailhead accessible by ordinary vehicle.”

    NYT > Home Page

  • “A lump of horsemeat was staked out near a road and the rangers took turns recording observations in a tiny hide dug into the ground and covered with sticks and spinifex.”

    Remote Reader by Carrie Tiffany

  • “Nothing but spiny, pale green clumps of spinifex, a few stands of eucalyptus, and flat, red earth as far as the eye could see.”

    Simon & Schuster: Black Magic

  • “I had stopped to pull spinifex out of my sock protectors and happened to see it.”

    Tympanocryptis cephalus - The Panda's Thumb

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same context (20)

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reverse dictionary (3)

Words that contain this word in their definition

  1. spinifex
  1. ram-goat
  1. rolling-grass

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  • reesetee Neat word. Thanks! Jul 25, 2007

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‘spinifex’ has been looked up 1038 times, loved by 1 person, added to 9 lists, commented on 1 time, and has a Scrabble score of 20.