flying fox

noun

1. any large fruit bat of the genus Pteropus, of Old World tropical regions, having a foxlike head.

2. Australian.,  an aerial conveyor belt or suspended carrier operating on cables, often used to convey ore, dirt, or the like, over rivers and gorges in mining or construction operations.

flying fox

noun

1. any large fruit bat, esp any of the genus Pteropus of tropical Africa and Asia: family Pteropodidae

2. a cable mechanism used for transportation across a river, gorge, etc

3. a cable mechanism ridden for fun at an adventure playground, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of flying fox¹

First recorded in 1750–60

Example Sentences

A flying fox wore a tiny anesthetic mask.

Read more on New York Times

Somewhere out there are clouded leopards, pygmy elephants, flying foxes, flying frogs, flying lemurs, flying snakes, nearly 700 species of birds, about a hundred species of bats, and more than a thousand kinds of ants.

Read more on National Geographic

Here, a fruit bat called the flying fox exists alongside mangrove trees, helping to pollinate them.

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In a way, “flying fox” sparked discord over photographer access to newly born fox kits in a rural community where the term “fox photographer” has devolved into a slur.

Read more on Seattle Times

Another twist in the paralysis mystery is that flying foxes—a type of fruit bat that is usually nocturnal—are also being found with symptoms resembling LPS.

Read more on Scientific American