Illustration of mayfly
: any of an order (Ephemeroptera) of insects with an aquatic nymph and a short-lived, fragile adult lacking mouthparts and having membranous, heavily veined wings and two or three long, threadlike tails
Note: the wings of the mayfly are held vertically above the body when closed.
called also ephemerid
Examples of mayfly in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Keep the rig small; mayfly larvae are rarely longer than an inch.
—
Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 13 June 2024
Starting in May and running through September, mayflies emerge all across North America.
—Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 6 June 2024
Below is a quick guide to mayfly basics, hatch timing and location, and mayfly fishing tips.
—Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 6 June 2024
During a Mayfly Hatch One of the toughest times to catch walleyes is during a significant mayfly hatch.
—Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 13 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for mayfly 
Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 13 June 2024
Starting in May and running through September, mayflies emerge all across North America.
—Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 6 June 2024
Below is a quick guide to mayfly basics, hatch timing and location, and mayfly fishing tips.
—Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 6 June 2024
During a Mayfly Hatch One of the toughest times to catch walleyes is during a significant mayfly hatch.
—Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 13 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for mayfly
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mayfly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near mayfly
Cite this Entry
“Mayfly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mayfly. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mayfly
noun
may·fly
-ˌflī 
: any of a group of insects that as adults live only a short time and have fragile wings
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share