dragonfly
Americannoun
plural
dragonflies-
any of numerous stout-bodied, nonstinging insects of the order Odonata (suborder Anisoptera), the species of which prey on mosquitoes and other insects and are distinguished from the damselflies by having the wings outstretched rather than folded when at rest.
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Military. Dragonfly, a two-seat, twin-turbojet U.S. attack aircraft in service since 1967, armed with a Minigun and capable of carrying nearly 5700 pounds (2585 kilograms) of ordnance.
noun
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any predatory insect of the suborder Anisoptera, having a large head and eyes, a long slender body, two pairs of iridescent wings that are outspread at rest, and aquatic larvae: order Odonata See also damselfly
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any other insect of the order Odonata
Regionalisms
the dragonfly is also called a darning needle and a devil's darning needle in the Northern and Western U.S. In the Northern U.S. it is also called a sewing needle. In the Midland U.S. it is called a snake feeder, in the South Midland and Southern U.S. a snake doctor, and in the Southern U.S., especially in the Southern Coastal areas, it is called a mosquito hawk or a skeeter hawk. Spindle is also in use, chiefly in New Jersey and in the Delaware Valley. Ear sewer is in older use in some scattered regional areas.
Etymology
Origin of dragonfly
Vocabulary lists containing dragonfly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Analysts at Dragonfly, a risk analysis and security intelligence service owned by Barron’s parent company, Dow Jones, say there are several additional signals that could point to trouble for the cease-fire.
From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026
Crucially, the waterway also transports about a third of the world’s fertilizer, according to Dragonfly, a risk-analysis and security-intelligence service owned by MarketWatch’s parent company, Dow Jones.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 24, 2026
Journaux is also part of NASA's upcoming Dragonfly mission to Titan, which is scheduled to launch in 2028.
From Science Daily • Dec. 20, 2025
Founded at the beginning of this year, the company has raised a $26.5 million seed round at a $100 million valuation led by crypto-focused venture firm Dragonfly Capital.
From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 8, 2025
Dragonfly and Poetry were out in the woodshed getting another load.
From Shenanigans at Sugar Creek by Hutchens, Paul
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
