Definition of fruit fly
: any of various small dipteran flies (such as a drosophila) whose larvae feed on fruit or decaying vegetable matter
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Recent Examples of fruit fly from the Web
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The researchers also found that cockroaches have genes that allow them to regrow broken limbs—the same genes present in other insects, including the fruit fly.
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Officials say fresh produce is regulated to prevent the the introduction of foreign diseases and pests such as the mango seed weevil, guava weevils and fruit flies.
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But a search through the genomes of other fruit fly species shows that it has been duplicated at least three other times.
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The main reason is because olive trees left untreated are plagued by the olive fruit fly.
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Photo: Laura Herman Researchers used light combined with genetic tools to make Princeton’s logo appear on these microscopic fruit fly embryos.
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Humans share much of their genetic code with other animals, from fruit flies and worms to dogs and apes.
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Anna Franz, a biochemist at the University of Bristol in Britain, was studying how a fruit fly’s immune cells respond when the insect is wounded.
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Doe has been at the Eugene school since 1998 and has focused his research on stem cells and the developing brains of fruit flies.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fruit fly.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of fruit fly
circa 1753
Medical Dictionary
fruit fly
medical Definition of fruit fly
: any of various small dipteran flies (as a drosophila) whose larvae feed on fruit or decaying vegetable matter
Learn More about fruit fly
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See words that rhyme with fruit fly Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fruit fly
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