dobson fly
- noun
- /ˈdɑb.sən flaɪ/
- Specialized
:
mosca dobson
- The fisherman used a dobson fly larva as bait to catch trout in the river.
Examples
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Male dobson flies are known for their intimidating long, curved mandibles.
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A dobson fly is usually active at night and is attracted to porch lights in summer.
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The dobson fly is often found near rivers.
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Have you ever seen a dobson fly up close?
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A dobson fly is usually active at night and is attracted to porch lights in summer.
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Male dobson flies are known for their intimidating long, curved mandibles.
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The fisherman used a dobson fly larva as bait to catch trout in the river.
Synonyms
A large soft-bodied insect whose male has very long thin jaws and larvae that live in streams used for bait
A large North American insect whose young live in water and are used as fish bait
A large soft insect whose young live in water and are used as fishing bait
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is transparently compositional: 'dobson' denotes a particular large insect (or its larva) and 'fly' denotes an insect, so 'dobson fly' is readily interpreted as a type of fly. This noun–noun naming pattern for species is common and predictable, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the meaning.
Etymology
Dobson fly may be named after a person called Dobson who first collected or described the insect. The name fits the image of a large fly with long, curved jaws and water-living larvae used as fishing bait, so today dobson fly means that big night-flying insect.
