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pitcher

1. A wide-mouthed, deep vessel for holding liquids, with a spout or protruding lip and a handle; a water jug or jar with a large ear or handle.

2. (Science: botany) A tubular or cuplike appendage or expansion of the leaves of certain plants. American pitcher plants, the species of sarracenia. See Sarracenia. Australian pitcher plant, the Cephalotus follicularis, a low saxifragaceous herb having two kinds of radical leaves, some oblanceolate and entire, others transformed into little ovoid pitchers, longitudinally triple-winged and ciliated, the mouth covered with a lid shaped like a cockleshell. California pitcher plant, the darlingtonia California. See Darlingtonia. Pitcher plant, any plant with the whole or a part of the leaves transformed into pitchers or cuplike organs, especially the species of nepenthes. See Nepenthes.

Origin: OE. Picher, OF. Pichier, OHG. Pehhar, pehhari; prob. Of the same origin as E. Beaker. Cf. Beaker.