fruit fly
Americannoun
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any of numerous small dipterous insects of the family Tephritidae, the larvae of which feed on the fruit of various plants.
noun
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any small dipterous fly of the family Trypetidae , which feed on and lay their eggs in plant tissues See also gallfly
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any dipterous fly of the genus Drosophila See drosophila
Etymology
Origin of fruit fly
First recorded in 1745–55
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.
The Mexican fruit fly enters California when travelers bring fruits or vegetables back from regions that are infested, according to the department.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026
An adult Mexican fruit fly is larger than the average housefly, with a 1.0-cm-long body.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026
The fruit fly connectome pointed to a different answer.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 10, 2026
"Export markets demand zero tolerance on pests. Even if inspectors find a single fruit fly, the entire consignment is discarded, leading to huge losses," he says.
From BBC ● Feb. 19, 2026
From the bacteria in the sink to the fruit fly circling the bowl of bananas.
From "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan
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.
