Flies

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /flaɪz/

Definitions

1. Insects typically recognized for their flying capabilities and often found in diverse settings
2. Small winged insects known for their quick movement and ability to hover in the air ; to move swiftly or soar through the air ; to pass or go by rapidly, often referring to time
3. Insects characterized by their ability to fly and often seen buzzing around ; to travel or glide through the air with speed ; to elapse or slip away quickly, especially used for time

Etymology: Old English gave us two different words that now sound identical. The insect was "flēoge" or "flīeġe", a noun that meant "a fly", while the verb "flēogan" meant "to fly" in the sense of moving through the air. The two only converged in spelling and pronunciation over the centuries, which is why "flies" can name either the insects or the act of flying. "Flies" here is the plural of the noun "fly", and it also serves as the third-person singular of the verb "fly". The noun's plural in Middle English had many spellings, including "flehe", "flei", "fleie" and "flye", reflecting how unsettled the spelling was before printing standardized it. Both words trace back to a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to flow, fly, run", reconstructed as "*plew-" in Proto-Indo-European. Many Germanic cousins survive, such as Dutch "vlieg" and German "Fliege", all meaning "fly". The same root gave the word a sense of rapid, flowing motion that still lies behind the verb's meaning of passing swiftly, as in time flies.

Synonyms: insects, winged insects, dipterans