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

While monitoring predators at Python Cave — which is home to Egyptian fruit bats confirmed to be infected with the virus — in Uganda's Queen Elizabeth National Park, scientists recorded hundreds of humans trespassing to visit the area. —Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026

Carried by fruit bats and animals such as pigs, the virus can cause fever and brain inflammation. —Reuters, NBC news, 30 Jan. 2026

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

The virus is most often spread by fruit bats, and can spread through direct or indirect contact. —Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 29 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