gadfly

noun

gad·​fly ˈgad-ˌflī How to pronounce gadfly (audio)
1
: any of various flies (such as a horsefly, botfly, or warble fly) that bite or annoy livestock
2
: a person who stimulates or annoys other people especially by persistent criticism
a political gadfly

Did you know?

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

the journalist was known as a gadfly for exposing hypocrisy in politics
Recent Examples on the Web In Troy, a newcomer – an outspoken gadfly in city meetings – narrowly lost his bid for a City Council seat. Bill Laytner, Detroit Free Press, 7 Aug. 2024 In this and other accounts of the conspiracy candidate and gadfly candidate, the picture that emerges is that of a consummate opportunist who wants to turn his Uncle Jack’s famous words on their head; what, RFK Jr. asks, can this country do for him? New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2024 Political tumult in Arizona opened a path for a perennial election gadfly with anti-government leanings to win the governor’s race in 1986. Amanda Luberto, The Arizona Republic, 24 July 2024 Nobody came forward to oppose her (except perhaps Sen. Joe Manchin, who isn’t even a Democrat, and gadfly Marianne Williamson). Dana Milbank, Washington Post, 22 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for gadfly 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gadfly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

gad entry 1 + fly entry 4

First Known Use

1569, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gadfly was in 1569

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Cite this Entry

“Gadfly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gadfly. Accessed 14 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

gadfly

noun
gad·​fly ˈgad-ˌflī How to pronounce gadfly (audio)
1
: any of various flies (as a horsefly or botfly) that are pests especially of livestock
2
: a person who annoys others especially by persistent criticism

Medical Definition

gadfly

noun
gad·​fly ˈgad-ˌflī How to pronounce gadfly (audio)
plural gadflies
: any of various flies (as a horsefly, botfly, or warble fly) that bite or annoy livestock

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