Blackfly

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A tiny, blood-feeding insect from the Simuliidae family that is frequently found near water bodies and is known to cause discomfort to those it bites
2. A diminutive species of fly recognized for its ability to inflict painful bites on both humans and animals, especially in wet environments
3. A small insect that feeds on blood and is commonly found close to rivers and streams

Etymology: The name is a plain compound: "black" joined to "fly." "Black" descends from Old English "blæc," which goes back to a Proto-Germanic root meaning dark or burnt-looking, and "fly" comes from Old English "flēoge," tracing to the Proto-Germanic verb for flying. Put together, the word describes an insect defined by its dark colour and its flight. The compound is transparent in a way that many insect names are not. Unlike "butterfly," which has nothing to do with butter in its origin, or "ladybird," which refers to the Virgin Mary, "blackfly" simply names the insect by how it looks. Several other insects are called blackfly in English, so the name applies to more than one species, and it was formed in the same descriptive manner as the rest of the English "fly" family.