different between gadfly vs housefly

English

Etymology

From gad (“spike”) +? fly.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??ædfla?/

Noun

gadfly (plural gadflies)

1. Any dipterous insect of the family Oestridae, commonly known as botflies.

   Synonyms: botfly, warble fly

2. A horsefly: any of various species of fly, of the family Tabanidae, noted for buzzing about animals and sucking their blood.

   Synonyms: horsefly, stoat-fly, stout

   • 2005, Rafael Argullol, The End of the World as a Work of Art: A Western Story, Bucknell University Press (?ISBN), page 48:

     Vengeful Hera transformed her into an animal (a beautiful cow), and imposed upon her the company of a gadfly to sting her continuously, thus forcing her to escape on an endless pilgrimage.

3. (figuratively) One who upsets the status quo by posing upsetting or novel questions, or attempts to stimulate innovation by proving an irritant.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:maverick
4. (derogatory) One who merely irritates without making useful suggestions.
5. (derogatory, slang) A bloodsucker; a person who takes without giving back.

   Synonyms: bloodsucker; see also Thesaurus:scrounger

Translations

Further reading

• horse-fly on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• botfly on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

English

Wikispecies

Alternative forms

• house fly, house-fly

Etymology

From house +? fly. Cognate with Dutch huisvlieg (“housefly”), Danish husflue (“housefly”), Swedish husfluga (“housefly”).

Noun

housefly (plural houseflies)

1. Any fly regularly found in human dwellings.
   1. The common housefly, Musca domestica, that frequents most homes and spreads some diseases.
      • 1990, D. C. Kaslow, S. Welburn, 16: Insect-transmitted pathogens in the insect midgut, M. Lehane, P. Billingsley (editors), Biology of the Insect Midgut, page 454,

        Of the three potential means (carriage on the body and legs, regurgitation and defecation) by which houseflies can transmit pathogens, one involves passage through the gut. During passage through the housefly, pathogens may replicate within the gut.

      • 2004, R. Jurenka, Insect Pheromone Biosynthesis, Stefan Schulz (editor), The Chemistry of Pheromones and Other Semiochemicals I, page 123,

        In the housefly, M. domestica, sex pheromone production is correlated with egg development.

      • 2011, Ross Piper, Pests: A Guide to the World's Most Maligned, Yet Misunderstood Creatures, page 102,

        Houseflies are known to carry at least 100 different pathogens and they are vectors for at least 65 of these.

Translations