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Glite Dictionary
Dermatobia hominis

Dermatobia hominis

9.9
A large tropical fly whose young grow under the skin of people and animals
  • noun
  • /ˌdɜrməˈtoʊbiə ˈhɒmɪnɪs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Dermatobia hominis
  • The larvae of Dermatobia hominis can cause painful skin swellings in humans.

Examples

  • Doctors identified the growing lump as the result of a Dermatobia hominis larva beneath the skin.

  • Farmers in South America often have to protect their cattle from Dermatobia hominis infestations.

  • The Dermatobia hominis is known for its painful larvae.

  • Have you ever encountered a Dermatobia hominis before?

  • Doctors identified the growing lump as the result of a Dermatobia hominis larva beneath the skin.

  • The larvae of Dermatobia hominis can cause painful skin swellings in humans.

  • Farmers in South America often have to protect their cattle from Dermatobia hominis infestations.

Synonyms

botfly
vsDermatobia hominis
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A large hairy fly whose larvae grow under the skin of mammals and cause pain

is a specific tropical American species rather than a general hairy fly
human botfly
vsDermatobia hominis
  • US
9.9

A large tropical fly whose young live under the skin of people or other animals

is the scientific name used by scientists rather than the common name

Surface Forms

Dermatobia hominis singular
Dermatobia hominises plural

Morphology

Dermatobia + hominis

The binomial is fully compositional: 'Dermatobia' denotes flies whose larvae grow under mammal skin and 'hominis' is the Latin genitive meaning 'of humans', so together it literally indicates the Dermatobia species associated with humans (a fly whose larvae parasitize humans). This follows a regular scientific naming pattern, so a learner who knows both constituents can directly derive the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Dermatobia hominis comes from Greek and Latin parts: dermato- meaning 'skin' and hominis meaning 'of humans'. It paints a clear picture because the fly's young live under the skin of people and other animals, so the name fits the insect today.