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

Ants and bees dispose of the deceased from their colonies, for instance, while fruit flies avoid corpses (and shun flies that have seen corpses themselves). —Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 23 May 2025

These findings suggest that fruit flies not only learn by observation but may also pass on preferences and fears in ways that go beyond simple instinct, hinting at a primitive form of culture. —Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 7 May 2025

The mango trees next to our distillery attract fruit flies, and those fruit flies carry wild yeast that adds subtle complexity to the fermentation. —Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025

Watch this video for an easy way to get rid of annoying gnats and fruit flies. —Cody Godwin, USA Today, 7 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1753, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fruit fly

• apply
• awry
• belie
• bely
• bigeye
• bonsai
• buckeye
• comply
• coxae
• decry
• defy
• deny

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