gadfly
/ˈɡædflaɪ/ · noun
Meaning
- Any dipterous insect of the family Oestridae, commonly known as botflies.
- A horsefly: any of various species of fly, of the family Tabanidae, noted for buzzing about animals and sucking their blood.
- One who upsets the status quo by posing upsetting or novel questions, or attempts to stimulate innovation by proving an irritant.
- One who merely irritates without making useful suggestions.
- A bloodsucker; a person who takes without giving back.
Etymology / origin
No prose etymology has been added yet.
No ancestor words have been linked yet.
Related words
Descendant words
No descendant words have been linked yet.