Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
maximum-security
maxixe
maxwell
May
may (1)
may (2)
May apple
May beetle
may blossom
May bug
May Day
May queen
may tree
may’ve
May wine
Maya (1)
Maya (2)
Click to move down the list of words
Also available:

World English Dictionary
Dictionnaire Français

mayfly

may·fly [ máy fl ] (plural may·flies)


noun 
Definition:
 
1. short-lived insect: an insect that lives as an adult for only a few days, typically having two or four pairs of flimsy wings and two or three long slender tail appendages. The female lays her eggs in fresh water, where the larvae develop without a chrysalis stage. Order Ephemeroptera.

2. fishing fly: a fishing fly that looks like a mayfly

[Mid-17th century. < the mistaken belief that they appear only in May]
Advertisement

© 2009 Microsoft