dragonfly

noun

drag·​on·​fly ˈdra-gən-ˌflī 

: any of a suborder (Anisoptera) of odonate insects that are larger and stouter than damselflies, hold the wings horizontal in repose, and have rectal gills during the naiad stage

broadly : odonate

Illustration of dragonfly

Examples of dragonfly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Little Rock Zoo is the kind of atmosphere that has zoo leaders stopped on the sidewalk to teach the group of children about dragonflies because one landed in front of them; feeding into the curious nature of everyone around them. —Harley Walls, arkansasonline.com, 8 July 2025

In more recent work, Healy has shown that dragonflies can process 300 changes per second. —Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 2 May 2025

The exhibit includes more than three dozen glass and steel sculptures of butterflies, dragonflies and insects. —Ut Community Press, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2025

Small fish can be seen swimming in the creek from their yard, with numerous butterflies and dragonflies on the stream's banks. —Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 18 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1626, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

dragonfly

noun

drag·​on·​fly -ˌflī 

: any of a group of large harmless insects that have four long wings held horizontal and sticking out instead of folded to the side next to the body when at rest and that feed especially on flies, gnats, and mosquitoes compare damselfly