syrphid

American

[sur-fid] / ˈsɜr fɪd /

Also syrphian

noun

syrphid fly.

adjective

belonging or pertaining to the family Syrphidae.

syrphid British

/ ˈsɜːfɪd /

noun

any dipterous fly of the family Syrphidae, typically having a coloration mimicking that of certain bees and wasps: includes the hover flies

"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

Etymology

Origin of syrphid

1890–95; < New Latin Syrphidae family name, equivalent to Syrph ( us ) a genus (< Greek sýrphos gnat) + New Latin -idae -id ²

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.

Nixon argued against the evil deeds of the New Deal as effectively as he had urged the good works of the praying mantis and the syrphid fly.

From Time Magazine Archive

The loudly buzzing syrphid fly, often mistaken for a bee, lays its eggs on leaves of aphis-infested plants; the hatching larvae then consume immense numbers of aphids.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023