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Glite Dictionary
fish fly

fish fly

8.6
A small insect near water whose young are used for fishing bait
  • noun
  • US
translation icon : mosca de pescado
  • Some anglers prefer fish fly larvae over worms when fishing for trout.

Examples

  • The fisherman collected fish flies from the riverbank to use as bait.

  • I bought some fish flies for bait.

  • In the summer, swarms of fish flies gather near the water's edge.

  • The fish fly is often found near rivers.

  • In the summer, swarms of fish flies gather near the water's edge.

  • The fisherman collected fish flies from the riverbank to use as bait.

  • Some anglers prefer fish fly larvae over worms when fishing for trout.

Synonyms

fish-fly
vsfish fly
  • US
9.5

A small flying insect whose young are used as bait for fish

is the same insect but written without a hyphen in its name

Surface Forms

fish fly singular
fish flies plural

Morphology

fish + fly

The compound signals a fly associated with fish or fishing, so a B1 learner who knows 'fish' and 'fly' can generally infer it relates to flies used in fishing (i.e., a fly connected to fish). However, the specific sense — a particular insect species whose larvae are used as bait — is not fully predictable and the phrase could be confused with the artificial 'fly' (fishing lure), so the relation is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Fish fly may come from the small insects that gather near rivers and lakes and are often eaten by fish or picked up by anglers as 'bait'. The part fish shows the link to fish and fishing, and fly names the insect, so the phrase now means that particular insect and its use as 'bait'.