Illustration of mayfly
: any of an order (Ephemeroptera) of insects with an aquatic nymph and a short-lived, fragile adult lacking mouthparts and having membranous, heavily veined wings and two or three long, threadlike tails
Note: the wings of the mayfly are held vertically above the body when closed.
called also ephemerid
Examples of mayfly in a Sentence
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In the fast-moving air taxi and eVTOL market, things are jumping at a pace not seen since the dotcom bubble of the 1990s when flash new companies had the lifespan of mayflies with a chronic cough.
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David Szondy, New Atlas, 5 Jan. 2025
Keep the rig small; mayfly larvae are rarely longer than an inch.
—Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 13 June 2024
Starting in May and running through September, mayflies emerge all across North America.
—Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 6 June 2024
Below is a quick guide to mayfly basics, hatch timing and location, and mayfly fishing tips.
—Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 6 June 2024
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David Szondy, New Atlas, 5 Jan. 2025
Keep the rig small; mayfly larvae are rarely longer than an inch.
—Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 13 June 2024
Starting in May and running through September, mayflies emerge all across North America.
—Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 6 June 2024
Below is a quick guide to mayfly basics, hatch timing and location, and mayfly fishing tips.
—Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 6 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for mayfly
Cite this Entry
“Mayfly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mayfly. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mayfly
noun
may·fly
-ˌflī 
: any of a group of insects that as adults live only a short time and have fragile wings
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