stable fly

noun

: a biting dipteran fly (Stomoxys calcitrans) that resembles the common housefly and is abundant about stables

Word History

First Known Use

1862, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of stable fly was in 1862

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Stable fly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stable%20fly. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.

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Medical Definition

stable fly

noun

: a biting dipteran fly of the genus Stomoxys (S. calcitrans) that is abundant about stables and often enters dwellings especially in autumn

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