flying fox

American  

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.

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flying fox British  

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

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Etymology

Origin of flying fox

First recorded in 1750–60

Example Sentences

Borneo island has one of the world's largest tracts of rainforest and hosts orangutans, long-nosed monkeys, clouded leopards, pig-tailed macaques, flying fox bats and the smallest rhinos on the planet.

From Barron's • Oct. 21, 2025

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

From National Geographic • Oct. 2, 2023

Every night, gray-headed flying fox bats fill the skies above Melbourne, Australia.

From New York Times • Apr. 4, 2023

There is a type of megabat known as a flying fox, and within that sub-species the Bismarck masked flying fox is known to be able to lactate.

From Salon • May 28, 2022

All moved cautiously up, and sure enough, hanging head down, was what my friend took to be a veritable flying fox; but he was in a hopeless minority.

From My Tropic Isle by Banfield, E. J. (Edmund James)