fruit fly

noun

: any of various small dipteran flies (such as a drosophila) whose larvae feed on fruit or decaying vegetable matter

Examples of fruit fly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The mango trees next to our distillery attract fruit flies, and those fruit flies carry wild yeast that adds subtle complexity to the fermentation. —Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025

Watch this video for an easy way to get rid of annoying gnats and fruit flies. —Cody Godwin, USA Today, 7 May 2025

How to prevent a fruit fly infestation Know what attracts fruit flies The key to controlling the number of fruit flies in your house is prevention. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 18 Apr. 2025

Cut and Attach Screen To keep fruit flies and other pests away from the compost, create a screen for your bin. Measure and cut a piece of nylon screen to cover the holes in the lid, and attach the screen to the underside of the lid using hot glue. —Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1753, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fruit fly

• apply
• awry
• belie
• bely
• bigeye
• bonsai
• buckeye
• comply
• coxae
• decry
• defy
• deny

Kids Definition

fruit fly

noun

: any of various small two-winged flies whose larvae feed on fruit or decaying vegetable matter

Medical Definition

fruit fly

noun

: any of various small dipteran flies (as a drosophila) whose larvae feed on fruit or decaying vegetable matter