gadfly

noun

gad·​fly ˈgad-ˌflī 

1

: any of various flies (such as a horsefly, botfly, or warble fly) that bite or annoy livestock

2

: a person who stimulates or annoys other people especially by persistent criticism

a political gadfly

Did you know?

The Gadfly of Athens

It's easy to guess what puts the fly in gadfly: in its oldest meaning, fly refers to a winged insect. But (gadzooks!) what about the gad? As a standalone English word, gad means "chisel," but it once could be used for a spike, spear, or rod for goading cattle. It was in the 16th century that gad was joined with fly to refer to any of several insects that bother livestock. Before too long, English speakers began applying gadfly to people who annoy or provoke others. One of history's most famous gadflies was the philosopher Socrates, who was known for his constant questioning of his fellow Athenians' ethics, misconceptions, and assumptions. In his Apology, Plato describes Socrates' characterization of Athens as a large and sluggish horse and of Socrates himself as the fly that bites and rouses it. Many translations use gadfly in this portion of the Apology, and Socrates is sometimes referred to as the "gadfly of Athens."

Synonyms

• annoyance
• annoyer
• bother
• gnawer
• nudnik
• nudnick
• nuisance
• pain
• persecutor
• pest
• tease
• teaser

Examples of gadfly in a Sentence

the journalist was known as a gadfly for exposing hypocrisy in politics

Recent Examples on the Web

Meenakshi Ahamed, the author of a forthcoming book on Indian Americans, notes that many prominent figures—Indra Nooyi, the former C.E.O. of PepsiCo; Vivek Ramaswamy, the conservative gadfly—have Brahman heritage. —Evan Osnos, The New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2024

In Troy, a newcomer – an outspoken gadfly in city meetings – narrowly lost his bid for a City Council seat. —Bill Laytner, Detroit Free Press, 7 Aug. 2024

In this and other accounts of the conspiracy candidate and gadfly candidate, the picture that emerges is that of a consummate opportunist who wants to turn his Uncle Jack’s famous words on their head; what, RFK Jr. asks, can this country do for him? —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2024

Political tumult in Arizona opened a path for a perennial election gadfly with anti-government leanings to win the governor’s race in 1986. —Amanda Luberto, The Arizona Republic, 24 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

gad entry 1 + fly entry 4

First Known Use

1569, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

gadfly

noun

gad·​fly ˈgad-ˌflī 

1

: any of various flies (as a horsefly or botfly) that are pests especially of livestock

2

: a person who annoys others especially by persistent criticism

Medical Definition

gadfly

noun

gad·​fly ˈgad-ˌflī 

plural gadflies

: any of various flies (as a horsefly, botfly, or warble fly) that bite or annoy livestock