: any of a family (Tabanidae) of swift usually large dipteran flies with bloodsucking females
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebThe female twitches nonchalantly, as if bitten by a horsefly, and returns to eating. Ed Yong, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2020 Then head to Puerto Montt to stock up on food, repellent for mosquitoes and horseflies, sunscreen, and plenty of cash.National Geographic, 5 July 2019 Their summer body suit has a finish that wards off mosquitoes, horseflies, and ticks, and a UPF of 40 to block harmful rays.Sunset, 22 Jan. 2018 In winning the Blue Grass Stakes, Good Magic has qualified for bad karma.Keeneland’s showcase race has lately had about as much bearing on the Kentucky Derby as have lawn jockeys and horseflies. Tim Sullivan, The Courier-Journal, 7 Apr. 2018 Departing various Northeastern professional arcadias and supposedly superior dining opportunities for the bleached-linen, biscuit-baking, horsefly-biting landscape of my childhood. Allison Glock, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2012 Departing various Northeastern professional arcadias and supposedly superior dining opportunities for the bleached-linen, biscuit-baking, horsefly-biting landscape of my childhood. Allison Glock, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2012 There are in fact thousands of distinct bee species flying around us all the time — small as gnats or larger than horseflies, fuzzed in hair as orange as Cheddar or armored in metallic green. Ferris Jabr, New York Times, 6 Dec. 2017 Departing various Northeastern professional arcadias and supposedly superior dining opportunities for the bleached-linen, biscuit-baking, horsefly-biting landscape of my childhood. Allison Glock, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2012 See More
Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
horsefly
noun
horse·fly ˈhȯrs-ˌflī
plural horseflies
: a large fly that has bulging eyes and of which the female delivers a painful bite to suck the blood of people and animals
Medical Definition
horsefly
noun
horse·fly ˈhȯrs-ˌflī
plural horseflies
: any of the swift usually large dipteran flies with bloodsucking females that comprise the family Tabanidae