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Glite Dictionary
buffalo gnat

buffalo gnat

9.9
A small black fly that bites people and animals, often near water
  • noun
  • /ˈbʌf.ə.loʊ næt/
  • US
translation icon : mosca negra búfalo
  • Do buffalo gnats bother you during the summer?

Examples

  • A swarm of buffalo gnats can make outdoor activities unpleasant.

  • Hikers are often bothered by buffalo gnats near rivers in the spring.

  • The veterinarian warned about the dangers that buffalo gnats pose to livestock.

  • The buffalo gnat is known for its painful bite.

  • The picnic was cut short because the buffalo gnats kept biting everyone.

  • In the summer, buffalo gnats swarm near the lake, annoying anyone who tries to relax outdoors.

  • She applied insect repellent to her arms to protect against buffalo gnat bites while gardening.

Synonyms

blackfly
vsbuffalo gnat
1 8.0

A small dark fly that bites animals and people to drink their blood

is the same insect idea but called by another common name

Surface Forms

buffalo gnat singular
buffalo gnats plural

Morphology

buffalo + gnat

This is a straightforward noun–noun compound where 'buffalo' modifies 'gnat', so the meaning ('a gnat associated with or found on/near buffalo') is directly inferable from the constituents. Such modifier+head compounds are a common, compositional pattern in English, so a B1 learner who knows both words will grasp the basic sense even if they lack entomological details.

Etymology

Buffalo gnat may come from the image of tiny flies that swarm and 'bite' large animals such as buffalo. The word gnat tells you it is a small fly and buffalo shows the animals it often bothers, so today Buffalo gnat means 'a small biting fly'.