creeper

Creeper is a common name applied to plants with a creeping growth habit. In botany, creepers spread along the ground or climb surfaces using adventitious roots, twining stems, or tendrils. They are widely used in horticulture as ground covers, cascading plants for containers, or ornamental climbers on walls and trellises. The term encompasses many species across diverse families, including creeping figs, creeping thyme, and other low-growing vines. Creepers can be evergreen or deciduous, and some species are invasive outside their native range.

In video games, particularly Minecraft, the Creeper is a fictional hostile mob that silently approaches players and detonates, causing damage to nearby players and terrain. It spawns in the overworld in areas with insufficient light and is notable for its distinctive hissing sound before explosion. A charged creeper occurs when lightning strikes the mob, causing a more powerful blast. The Creeper has become an iconic symbol of the game and appears in various media and memes.

The term creeper is also used in slang to describe a person who stares or lurks in a way considered intrusive or creepy, often online or toward someone. This usage is informal and varies by region.