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fruit fly
noun
: any of various small dipteran flies (such as a drosophila) whose larvae feed on fruit or decaying vegetable matter
Examples of fruit fly in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There are few things more annoying than hearing a fly buzzing throughout your home or reaching for a banana only to spot fruit flies around the basket.
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Carly Totten, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 June 2024
Despite urchins’ status as super reproducers, practical concerns often compel scientists to focus their work on more easily accessible animals: mice, fruit flies, worms.
—
Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2024
Maggots are the larvae of various fly species, such as fruit flies, houseflies, cheese flies and blowflies.
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Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2024
After an early stint studying specialized light-sensing cells in the eyes of fruit flies, he became intrigued by the mammalian taste system.
—
Esther Landhuis, Quanta Magazine, 14 June 2024
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fruit fly.' 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
circa 1753, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near fruit fly
Cite this Entry
“Fruit fly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fruit%20fly. Accessed 5 Jul. 2024.
Kids Definition
fruit fly
noun
: any of various small two-winged flies whose larvae feed on fruit or decaying vegetable matter
Medical Definition
fruit fly
noun
: any of various small dipteran flies (as a drosophila) whose larvae feed on fruit or decaying vegetable matter
More from Merriam-Webster on fruit fly
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fruit fly
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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