HORSEFLY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does horsefly mean? 

• HORSEFLY (noun)
  The noun HORSEFLY has 2 senses:

1. winged fly parasitic on horses

2. large swift fly the female of which sucks blood of various animals

  Familiarity information: HORSEFLY used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HORSEFLY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Winged fly parasitic on horses

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

Hippobosca equina; horse tick; horsefly

Hypernyms ("horsefly" is a kind of...):

hippoboscid; louse fly (bloodsucking dipterous fly parasitic on birds and mammals)

Holonyms ("horsefly" is a member of...):

genus Hippobosca; Hippobosca (type genus of the Hippoboscidae)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Large swift fly the female of which sucks blood of various animals

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

cleg; clegg; horse fly; horsefly

Hypernyms ("horsefly" is a kind of...):

gadfly (any of various large flies that annoy livestock)

Holonyms ("horsefly" is a member of...):

family Tabanidae; Tabanidae (horseflies)