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Webster 1913 Edition


Gadfly

Gad′flyˊ

(găd′flīˊ)
,
Noun.
;
pl.
Gadflies
(#)
.
[
Gad
+
fly
.]
(Zool.)
Any dipterous insect of the genus
Oestrus
, and allied genera of botflies.
☞ The sheep
gadfly
(
Oestrus ovis
) deposits its young in the nostrils of sheep, and the larvæ develop in the frontal sinuses. The common species which infests cattle (
Hypoderma bovis
) deposits its eggs upon or in the skin where the larvæ or bots live and produce sores called wormels. The
gadflies
of the horse produce the intestinal parasites called bots. See
Botfly
, and
Bots
. The true horseflies are often erroneously called gadflies, and the true
gadflies
are sometimes incorrectly called
breeze flies
.
Gadfly petrel
(Zool.)
,
one of several small petrels of the genus
Oestrelata
.

Webster 1828 Edition


Gadfly

GAD'FLY

,
Noun.
An insect of the genus Oestrus, which stings cattle, and deposits its eggs in their skin; called also the breeze.

Definition 2024


gadfly

gadfly

English

Noun

gadfly (plural gadflies)

  1. Any dipterous insect of the family Oestridae, commonly known as botflies.
  2. A horsefly: any of various species of fly, of the family Tabanidae, noted for buzzing about animals and sucking their blood.
  3. One who upsets the status quo by posing upsetting or novel questions, or attempts to stimulate innovation by proving an irritant.
  4. (pejorative) One who merely irritates without making useful suggestions.
  5. (slang) A bloodsucker
    He's a regular gadfly and takes advantage of his friend's generosity.

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