common housefly

noun

: housefly sense 1

The common housefly, in particular, annoys because it stays close to houses and domestic animal shelters, is most active during the day and loves to shelter indoors.

—Alan Hayes, The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, Australia), 29 Dec. 2001

Recently a team of British scientists declared that the common housefly is the most talented aerodynamicist on the planet …

—National Geographic, June 2006

Word History

First Known Use

1661, in the meaning defined above

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