spinifex

[ spahy-nuh-feks ]
/ ˈspaɪ nəˌfɛks /

noun, plural spi·ni·fex, spi·ni·fex·es.

any of several Australian grasses of the genera Spinifex, Plectrachne, or Triodia, having spiny seeds and stiff, sharp-pointed leaves that grow in dense masses.

Words nearby spinifex

spineless, spinescent, spinet, spingarn, spiniferous, spinifex, spinmeister, spinnaker, spinnbarkeit, spinner, spinneret

Example sentences from the Web for spinifex

British Dictionary definitions for spinifex

spinifex
/ (ˈspɪnɪˌfɛks) /

noun

Also called: porcupine grass Australian any of various coarse spiny-leaved inland grasses of the genus Triodia
any grass of the SE Asian genus Spinifex, having pointed leaves and spiny seed heads: often planted to bind loose sand

Word Origin for spinifex

C19: from New Latin, from Latin spīna a thorn + -fex maker, from facere to make