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Definition of housefly

housefly

/ˈhaʊs.flaɪ/
house · fly
Plural:houseflies
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housefly Lexical Profile

housefly Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A common, ubiquitous flying insect (Musca domestica) of the order Diptera that frequently inhabits human dwellings and is a known mechanical vector for various diseases.

Example

"The annoyance of a single housefly buzzing around the kitchen was enough to distract him from his cooking."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for housefly

• Nearby Words

housecleaning
housecoat
housedress
housefly
housefront
houseful
housefurnishings

Word Origin & Etymology

From Middle English 'hous-flye', formed as a compound of 'house' and 'fly', directly referencing the insect's frequent presence in human dwellings.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Housefly. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/housefly
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