blow fly

or blowfly

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noun

any of numerous dipterous insects of the family Calliphoridae that deposit their eggs or larvae on carrion, excrement, etc., or in wounds of living animals.

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Origin of blow fly

First recorded in 1815–25

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for blow fly

These must have been the larv of a blowfly similar to that which has been mentioned by others as inhabiting Sarracenia.
The Romance of Plant Life|G. F. Scott Elliot
A blowfly crawled over a caribou carcass, and possibly a few black flies were abroad.
The Barren Ground Caribou of Keewatin|Francis Harper
He swore savagely under his breath, and dabbed viciously at a blowfly that suddenly became noisy on the window-pane.
The Plattner Story and Others|H. G. Wells
Mrs. Drake continued, waddling to the mantelpiece and flicking a disreputable blowfly from one of the vases.
A Drake by George!|John Trevena

He had eased his uncle's labours by crushing the wasp, and averted his aunt's displeasure by obliterating the blowfly.
A Drake by George!|John Trevena

British Dictionary definitions for blow fly

blowfly

/ (ˈbləʊˌflaɪ) /

noun plural -flies

any of various dipterous flies of the genus Calliphora and related genera that lay their eggs in rotting meat, dung, carrion, and open wounds: family CalliphoridaeAlso called: bluebottle

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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