horsefly

noun

horse·​fly ˈhȯrs-ˌflī How to pronounce horsefly (audio)
: any of a family (Tabanidae) of swift usually large dipteran flies with bloodsucking females

Examples of horsefly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Horses wearing an all-grey coat received the most landings by horseflies, followed by horses wearing coats with large black triangles, with the fewest horsefly landings on small checkerboard patterns (Figure 2A). Grrlscientist, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2023 That's why commercial horsefly traps, or Manitoba traps as they are called, have their capture jar at the upper end, into which the horsefly must inevitably crawl to its well-deserved death. The Editors, Outdoor Life, 4 Dec. 2020 Greenhead Fly Bites GeXeS / Wikimedia Commons Also known as salt marsh horseflies, these critters look like standard flies, but are much bigger with a shiny green head. Women's Health, 1 May 2023 But as for the cough, well, growing up in a swamp, coughing is easy, especially when the horsefly goes down a wrong pipe [Coughs]. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 2 Dec. 2022 The female twitches nonchalantly, as if bitten by a horsefly, and returns to eating. Ed Yong, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2020 Then head to Puerto Montt to stock up on food, repellent for mosquitoes and horseflies, sunscreen, and plenty of cash. National Geographic, 5 July 2019 Their summer body suit has a finish that wards off mosquitoes, horseflies, and ticks, and a UPF of 40 to block harmful rays. Sunset, 22 Jan. 2018 In winning the Blue Grass Stakes, Good Magic has qualified for bad karma. Keeneland’s showcase race has lately had about as much bearing on the Kentucky Derby as have lawn jockeys and horseflies. Tim Sullivan, The Courier-Journal, 7 Apr. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'horsefly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of horsefly was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near horsefly

Cite this Entry

“Horsefly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/horsefly. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

horsefly

noun
horse·​fly ˈhȯrs-ˌflī How to pronounce horsefly (audio)
: any of a family of swift usually large two-winged flies with bloodsucking females

Medical Definition

horsefly

noun
horse·​fly ˈhȯrs-ˌflī How to pronounce horsefly (audio)
plural horseflies
: any of the swift usually large dipteran flies with bloodsucking females that comprise the family Tabanidae

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