Flye

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An older spelling used for a winged insect that flies, such as a housefly or gnat
2. A dated variant spelling referring to a small insect with two wings that moves through the air
3. Historically written form denoting an insect equipped with wings for flight, often a common household pest

Etymology: "Flye" is a spelling variant of the noun "fly," and the same word, in the same senses, lies behind it. The modern "fly" covers the insect, the flap that closes a tent or garment, and the flying part of a flag, so the older spelling points to the same meanings. The word's history is the history of "fly" itself. The spelling "flye" with a final "e" appears in older English printing and writing, where it was one of several accepted forms for the same word. The sense you're looking for depends on context, so the spelling alone doesn't tell you which meaning is intended.