Illustration of fruit bat
- fruit bat with fruit
fruit bat
noun
: any of a family (Pteropodidae of the suborder Megachiroptera) of often large tropical and subtropical Old World bats that feed on ripe fruit, pollen, and nectar and that usually use visual navigation rather than echolocation
called also flying fox
Examples of fruit bat in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As the sun sets, the fruit bats swoop among the trees as couples and young families lounge on large poolside cabanas, downing languid cocktails and listening to live guitar strums before heading for a casual dinner.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
While monitoring predators at Python Cave — which is home to Egyptian fruit bats confirmed to be infected with the virus — in Uganda's Queen Elizabeth National Park, scientists recorded hundreds of humans trespassing to visit the area.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
Carried by fruit bats and animals such as pigs, the virus can cause fever and brain inflammation.
—Reuters, NBC news, 30 Jan. 2026
Eating fruits or fruit products — such as raw date palm juice — contaminated with urine or saliva from infected fruit bats also contributes to spread.
—Michal Ruprecht, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fruit bat
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Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
While monitoring predators at Python Cave — which is home to Egyptian fruit bats confirmed to be infected with the virus — in Uganda's Queen Elizabeth National Park, scientists recorded hundreds of humans trespassing to visit the area.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
Carried by fruit bats and animals such as pigs, the virus can cause fever and brain inflammation.
—Reuters, NBC news, 30 Jan. 2026
Eating fruits or fruit products — such as raw date palm juice — contaminated with urine or saliva from infected fruit bats also contributes to spread.
—Michal Ruprecht, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fruit bat
Cite this Entry
“Fruit bat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fruit%20bat. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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