flyblow
Intermediate (B1)
IPA: /ˈflaɪbloʊ/
KK: /ˈflaɪbloʊ/
noun
Definition
The egg or young form of a blowfly, often found on decaying meat.
Example
The flyblow on the meat indicated that it had been left out for too long.
Conversation
I found something strange in the fridge yesterday.
What did you find?
There was a piece of meat covered in flyblow larvae!
Yikes! That's definitely a sign to throw it out.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
maggot
larva
pupa
Antonyms
adult
fly
insect
transitive verb
Definition
To contaminate or taint something, especially by depositing fly larvae on it.
Example
The spoiled meat was flyblown and unfit for consumption.
Tense Forms
Past: flyblew
Past Participle: flyblown
Conversation
I found some old food in the fridge, and it looked like it might flyblow soon.
Yikes! You definitely need to get rid of that before it gets worse.
Yeah, I can’t believe I let it sit there for so long.
Root Explanation
Flyblow → The word is formed from "fly" (from Old English *flēoge*, meaning a flying insect) and "blow" (from Old English *blōwan*, meaning to blow or to breathe). The term originally referred to the act of flies laying eggs in decaying matter, which is often associated with the act of blowing or depositing eggs.
Memory Tip
Think of a 'fly' as the insect that lays eggs ('blow') in decaying matter, which helps you remember that 'flyblow' refers to the process of flies depositing their eggs.
Visually Confused Words
No commonly confused words.