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

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

Fans of the video games will also recognize Colleen O’Shaughnessey’s Tails, an anthropomorphic flying fox who tags along for the ride after making his big-screen debut in the first movie’s credits sequence.

From Washington Post • Apr. 5, 2022

Feeling perfectly innocent, the gentlemen mentioned the tragic end of the troublesome flying fox to their host, and instantly drew down on their heads all the thunder-clouds of heaven.

From From the Caves and Jungles of Hindostan by Blavatsky, H. P. (Helena Petrovna)