drosophila

[ droh-sof-uh-luh, druh- ]

noun

, plural dro·soph·i·las, dro·soph·i·lae [droh-, sof, -, uh, -lee, dr, uh, -].

1. a fly of the genus Drosophila, especially D. melanogaster, used in laboratory studies of genetics and development.

drosophila

/ drɒˈsɒfɪlə /

noun

1. any small dipterous fly of the genus Drosophila, esp D. melanogaster, a species widely used in laboratory genetics studies: family Drosophilidae. They feed on plant sap, decaying fruit, etc Also calledfruit flyvinegar fly

drosophila

/ drō-sŏf′ə-lə /

1. Any of various small fruit flies of the genus Drosophila, one species of which ( D. melanogaster ) is used extensively in genetic research to study patterns of inheritance and the functions of genes.

Word History and Origins

Origin of drosophila¹

< New Latin < Greek dróso ( s ) dew + New Latin -phila < Greek -philē, feminine of -philos -phile

Word History and Origins

Origin of drosophila¹

C19: New Latin, from Greek drosos dew, water + -phila; see -phile

Example Sentences

Everyone has a mosquito story they want to tell her—not like when she was studying drosophila, the fruit fly.

From The Daily Beast

Morgan and his pupils have observed over 130 mutations in a fly Drosophila.

From Project Gutenberg

The most extensive and conclusive experiments along this line are those by Morgan on the fruit fly Drosophila.

From Project Gutenberg

The normal red-eyed Drosophila has one kind of eggs, each possessing one X chromosome.

From Project Gutenberg

Such a case is that recently described by Morgan in America for the pomace fly (Drosophila ampelophila).

From Project Gutenberg

Again, a mutant stock in the fruit fly (Drosophila) has as its most marked characteristic very short wings.

From Project Gutenberg