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greenfly

American  
[green-flahy] / ˈgrinˌflaɪ /

noun

  • greenflies
    plural
  1. an aphid, Coloradoa rufomaculata, that is an important pest of chrysanthemums.


greenfly British  
/ ˈɡriːnˌflaɪ /

noun

  1. a greenish aphid commonly occurring as a pest on garden and crop plants

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms


Etymology

Origin of greenfly

First recorded in 1680–90; green + fly 1


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.

See Examples For:

Each summer, wasps in the UK capture about 14 million kilogrammes of insects such as caterpillars and greenfly, making them important friends to gardeners.

From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2024

Aphids - such as greenfly and blackfly - damage plants by sucking nutrients from their sap, and can also introduce plant viruses.

From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2015

About a month ago, a swarm of greenfly and midges got into the dining area and we had to shut the restaurant.

From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2013

Midges and greenfly have been attracted by the lights and swarmed in the dining area, Mr Nicholls said.

From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2013

"A single greenfly," declared a speaker at a meeting of the R.S.P.C.A., "may have fifteen thousand descendants in a week."

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 158, May 26, 1920 by Various

I forgot my dislike of greenflies, and was overcome with a fierce antagonism for the fat fellow who had the game so entirely in his hands.

From Pebbles on the shore [by] Alpha of the plough by A. G. (Alfred George) Gardiner

Moreover," said he, "I have seen you kill greenflies yourself.

From Pebbles on the shore [by] Alpha of the plough by A. G. (Alfred George) Gardiner

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