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
Hantavirus typically spreads to humans via rodent droppings and saliva, while Ebola is often transmitted from animals such as fruit bats and porcupines.
—
Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 2 June 2026
Experts believe African fruit bats may be the source of the virus.
—Jane Weaver, NBC news, 29 May 2026
Outbreaks typically develop in areas of Africa, starting in species like antelope, fruit bats and nonhuman primates.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for fruit bat
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Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 2 June 2026
Experts believe African fruit bats may be the source of the virus.
—Jane Weaver, NBC news, 29 May 2026
Outbreaks typically develop in areas of Africa, starting in species like antelope, fruit bats and nonhuman primates.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
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
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 18 Jun. 2026.
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