noun

tsetse

TSET-see/tsˈitsi/

An African biting fly that can transmit sleeping sickness.

The tsetse feeds through its forward-projecting proboscis.

An enlarged, anatomically recognizable tsetse fly feeding on a small patch of African buffalo hide, with its forward-projecting piercing proboscis and overlapping wings clearly visible.

Etymology

The fly’s name comes from a Bantu language, though the exact donor is not identified. Setswana tsetse and Luyia tsiisi, meaning “flies,” are cited as related comparisons.

More examples

The study tracked tsetse populations.
The trap was designed to catch tsetse flies.
The report discussed diseases transmitted by the tsetse.

Forms

tsetse · tsetses

Similar words

fly: Fly is the broad insect category; tsetse identifies particular African biting flies.
mosquito: A mosquito is a different biting insect with different anatomy and disease associations.