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
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The restaurant was cited after inspectors found fruit flies flying around the prep area, county documents show. Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 17 Jan. 2025 Bar flies Depositphotos In a report from August, scientists got fruit flies drunk. New Atlas, 2 Jan. 2025 The oriental fruit fly can spread rapidly and when successfully spread, the fruit fly causes fruit to decay early and fall to the ground. Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 12 Nov. 2024 Remarkably, the model also predicted the response of neurons in actual fruit flies that had seen the same videos in earlier studies. Jon Hamilton, NPR, 17 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for fruit fly 

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1753, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fruit fly was circa 1753

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 30 Jan. 2025.

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

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