barfly

[ bahr-flahy ]

noun

, Slang.

, plural bar·flies.

1. a person who frequents barrooms.

barfly

/ ˈbɑːflaɪ /

noun

1. informal.
   a person who frequents bars

Word History and Origins

Origin of barfly¹

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10; bar ¹ + fly ¹

Example Sentences

In early April 1949, the petite 18-year-old barfly was found in a shallow grave in the desert of southern New Mexico.

From The Daily Beast

And it should have been obvious to me, maybe not that he was an Executive Special, but that he was certainly no drunken barfly.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• drunk
• substance abuser