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fly²

(flī)

n. pl. flies

a. Any of numerous two-winged insects of the order Diptera, especially any of the family Muscidae, which includes the housefly.

b. Any of various other flying insects, such as a caddisfly.

2. A fishing lure simulating something a fish eats, such as a mayfly or a minnow, made by attaching materials such as feathers, tinsel, and colored thread to a fishhook.

Idiom:

fly in the ointment

A detrimental circumstance or detail; a drawback.

[Middle English flie, from Old English flēoge; see pleu- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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