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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
Using their live imaging tech, the researchers observed that adhesins used by L. plantarum isolated from wild fruit flies stably attached to host gut tissue.
—New Atlas, 18 Dec. 2024
Scientists coerced fruit flies into walking on tiny treadmills.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 2 Nov. 2024
Turn off the lights because light attracts fruit flies.
—Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 8 Sep. 2024
However, the team had a fruit fly intestine expert Hiroki Nagai onboard, who noticed something else.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 1 Aug. 2024
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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 22 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
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fruit fly
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