BLACK FLY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does black fly mean? 

• BLACK FLY (noun)
  The noun BLACK FLY has 1 sense:

1. small blackish stout-bodied biting fly having aquatic larvae; sucks the blood of birds as well as humans and other mammals

  Familiarity information: BLACK FLY used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BLACK FLY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Small blackish stout-bodied biting fly having aquatic larvae; sucks the blood of birds as well as humans and other mammals

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

black fly; blackfly; buffalo gnat

Hypernyms ("black fly" is a kind of...):

gnat (any of various small biting flies: midges; biting midges; black flies; sand flies)

Holonyms ("black fly" is a member of...):

genus Simulium; Simulium (type genus of the Simuliidae: blackflies)

 Context examples 

Filarial infection of the eyes transmitted from person to person by bites of Onchocerca volvulus-infected black flies.

(Ocular Onchocerciasis, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)