noun

fly

A small winged insect commonly used as a model for fishing lures.

A fly lands on the kitchen window beside the sink.

Etymology

The inherited noun names the flying insect. Fishing also uses the insect as the model for an artificial lure, preserving the animal reference in that equipment name.

More examples

Flies gather around the uncovered fruit.
She waves a fly away from her sandwich.
He ties an artificial fly to his line to catch trout.

Forms

fly · flies

Similar words

insect: Names the broader group, including ants, beetles, and flies.
bug: Informally names many small insects, not just flies.