tsetse fly
noun
tset·se fly
ˈ(t)set-sē- 
ˈtet-,
ˈ(t)sēt-,
ˈtēt-
: any of several dipteran flies (genus Glossina) that occur in Africa south of the Sahara and include vectors of human and animal trypanosomes
called also tsetse
compare sleeping sicknessExamples of tsetse fly in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
From the 1950s through the 1970s, tsetse fly outbreaks greatly reduced sable numbers throughout their range.
—
Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 11 July 2024
The pestilent tsetse fly is a scourge in rural Africa.
—Carl Engelking, Discover Magazine, 25 Apr. 2014
There are many deadly animals in the world, from the small tsetse fly to the giganticelephant.
—Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 25 Nov. 2021
The tsetse fly which serves as a vector forTtrypanosomes does not seem to be present in the Ethiopian highlands.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 22 July 2010
The rare disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, which is transmitted by the tsetse fly.
—Byscience News Staff, science.org, 8 Dec. 2022
Transmitted by the tsetse fly, sleeping sickness is endemic in 36 sub-Saharan African countries and is almost always fatal if untreated.
—Allessandra Dicorato, STAT, 21 Nov. 2022
The chemical has been used as a drug to treat African sleeping sickness, a parasitic disease transmitted by the tsetse fly found only in sub-Saharan Africa.
—Miriam Fauzia, USA TODAY, 15 June 2021
Better known as sleeping sickness, the disease is transmitted to human beings by tsetse flies that have acquired the infection from infected people or animals.
—Carey Baraka, Quartz Africa, 26 Apr. 2020
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Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 11 July 2024
The pestilent tsetse fly is a scourge in rural Africa.
—Carl Engelking, Discover Magazine, 25 Apr. 2014
There are many deadly animals in the world, from the small tsetse fly to the giganticelephant.
—Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 25 Nov. 2021
The tsetse fly which serves as a vector forTtrypanosomes does not seem to be present in the Ethiopian highlands.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 22 July 2010
The rare disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, which is transmitted by the tsetse fly.
—Byscience News Staff, science.org, 8 Dec. 2022
Transmitted by the tsetse fly, sleeping sickness is endemic in 36 sub-Saharan African countries and is almost always fatal if untreated.
—Allessandra Dicorato, STAT, 21 Nov. 2022
The chemical has been used as a drug to treat African sleeping sickness, a parasitic disease transmitted by the tsetse fly found only in sub-Saharan Africa.
—Miriam Fauzia, USA TODAY, 15 June 2021
Better known as sleeping sickness, the disease is transmitted to human beings by tsetse flies that have acquired the infection from infected people or animals.
—Carey Baraka, Quartz Africa, 26 Apr. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Tsetse fly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tsetse%20fly. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tsetse fly
noun
tset·se fly
ˈ(t)set-sē-
ˈtet-
ˈtet-
ˈ(t)sēt-,
ˈtēt-
: any of a genus of two-winged flies found mostly in Africa south of the Sahara Desert and including some forms that pass on disease-causing trypanosomes
called also tsetse
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