fruit fly

noun

: any of various small dipteran flies (such as a drosophila) whose larvae feed on fruit or decaying vegetable matter

Examples of fruit fly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Simply set out bowls of coffee grounds among your outdoor seating areas to prevent ants, mosquitoes, fruit flies, and squirmy critters from crashing your barbecue. —Joey Skladany, Southern Living, 17 June 2026

This means the center will have to create a map of every connection in the fish brain, much like the one that the center did for the fruit fly. —Jon Hamilton, NPR, 16 June 2026

Sterile insect releases have been used against other pests, including fruit flies, screwworms and codling moths. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2026

Some studies on the sterile insect technique as a means of managing fruit flies have shown a negligible difference when males and females are released together compared to males alone. —Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 10 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1753, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fruit fly

• apply
• awry
• belie
• bely
• bigeye
• bonsai
• buckeye
• comply
• coxae
• decry
• defy
• deny

Kids Definition

fruit fly

noun

: any of various small two-winged flies whose larvae feed on fruit or decaying vegetable matter

Medical Definition

fruit fly

noun

: any of various small dipteran flies (as a drosophila) whose larvae feed on fruit or decaying vegetable matter