Definition of Gadfly

1. Noun. A persistently annoying person.

Exact synonyms: Blighter, Cuss, Pest, Pesterer
Specialized synonyms: Nudnick, Nudnik
Generic synonyms: Persecutor, Tormenter, Tormentor
Derivative terms: Pester

2. Noun. Any of various large flies that annoy livestock.
Generic synonyms: Fly
Specialized synonyms: Botfly, Warble Fly, Cleg, Clegg, Horse Fly, Horsefly

Definition of Gadfly

1. n. Any dipterous insect of the genus Oestrus, and allied genera of botflies.

Definition of Gadfly

1. a biting fly [n -FLIES]

Medical Definition of Gadfly

1. 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 larvae develop in the frontal sinuses. The common species which infests cattle (Hypoderma bovis) deposits its eggs upon or in the skin where the larvae 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, one of several small petrels of the genus Oestrelata. (30 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Gadfly

gadbee
Gaddafi
gadded
gadder
gadder
gadders
gaddi
gadding
gaddis
Gaddum and Schild test
gade
gade
gades
gadflies
gadfly (current term)
gadfly (current term)
gadge
gadges
gadget
gadgeteer
gadgeteers
gadgetries
gadgetry
gadgets
gadgety
gadgie
gadgies
gadhelic
gadi
gadic

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