fruit bat

noun

: any of a family (Pteropodidae of the suborder Megachiroptera) of often large tropical and subtropical Old World bats that feed on ripe fruit, pollen, and nectar and that usually use visual navigation rather than echolocation

called also flying fox

Illustration of fruit bat

• fruit bat with fruit

Examples of fruit bat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That’s because the fruit bats that transmit the virus — among the largest bats in the world — are native to these regions. —Michal Ruprecht, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026

This flu-like, fatal infection carried by fruit bats can spread to pigs and humans, especially through close contact with bodily fluids such as saliva, blood or respiratory droplets. —Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 28 Jan. 2026

Nipah virus is a deadly zoonotic illness spread by fruit bats, according to the WHO and CDC. —Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 27 Jan. 2026

The zoonotic virus can spread between animals and people, mostly fruit bats and pigs, with mild to severe symptoms from fevers to brain infection and death, according to the Cleveland Clinic. —Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 26 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fruit bat

• begat
• bobcat
• chitchat
• doormat
• ducat
• eclat
• format
• hazmat
• muskrat
• nonfat
• polecat
• thereat

Kids Definition

fruit bat

noun

: any of numerous large Old World fruit-eating bats of warm regions

called also flying fox