fruit fly
noun
: any of various small dipteran flies (such as a drosophila) whose larvae feed on fruit or decaying vegetable matter
Examples of fruit fly in a Sentence
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This dual function allows the insect to execute dramatic maneuvers — up to 96-degree turns in 50 milliseconds — while propelling itself at speeds of 120 body lengths per second, a performance comparable to the acrobatic saccades of fruit flies in air.
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John Drake, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Humans share about 60% of our genes with fruit flies, also known by their scientific name Drosophila melanogaster.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 15 Sep. 2025
An inspector noticed strawberries and a bell pepper with white organic matter, fruit flies in the kitchen and unlabeled bulk food containers.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Sep. 2025
There was a similar slaying of the fruit fly on an office window.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fruit fly
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John Drake, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Humans share about 60% of our genes with fruit flies, also known by their scientific name Drosophila melanogaster.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 15 Sep. 2025
An inspector noticed strawberries and a bell pepper with white organic matter, fruit flies in the kitchen and unlabeled bulk food containers.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Sep. 2025
There was a similar slaying of the fruit fly on an office window.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fruit fly
Cite this Entry
“Fruit fly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fruit%20fly. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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