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The Gadfly of Athens
It's easy to guess what puts the fly in gadfly: in its oldest meaning, fly refers to a winged insect. But (gadzooks!) what about the gad? As a standalone English word, gad means "chisel," but it once could be used for a spike, spear, or rod for goading cattle. It was in the 16th century that gad was joined with fly to refer to any of several insects that bother livestock. Before too long, English speakers began applying gadfly to people who annoy or provoke others. One of history's most famous gadflies was the philosopher Socrates, who was known for his constant questioning of his fellow Athenians' ethics, misconceptions, and assumptions. In his Apology, Plato describes Socrates' characterization of Athens as a large and sluggish horse and of Socrates himself as the fly that bites and rouses it. Many translations use gadfly in this portion of the Apology, and Socrates is sometimes referred to as the "gadfly of Athens."
Examples of gadfly in a Sentence
Ashley Gold, Axios, 2 Apr. 2025
Also trailing on the ballot were Jack Potter and political gadfly Margaret Carrasco.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
This is an aberration of progressivism — the flip side of beleaguered social media gadfly Andy Ngo, the independent muckraker who exposes mainstream media’s protection of Antifa.
—Armond White, National Review, 5 Feb. 2025
Like any gadfly, Kennedy’s willingness to challenge institutions and conventional wisdom has sometimes led him to question things that needed questioning, not least during the Covid era’s riot of hubris and deceit in the public health sector.
—The Editors, National Review, 29 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Gadfly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gadfly. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
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gadfly
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gadfly
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