dragonfly

noun

drag·​on·​fly ˈdra-gən-ˌflī How to pronounce dragonfly (audio)
: any of a suborder (Anisoptera) of odonate insects that are larger and stouter than damselflies, hold the wings horizontal in repose, and have rectal gills during the naiad stage
broadly : odonate

Illustration of dragonfly

Illustration of dragonfly

Examples of dragonfly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web And while there are many images of childhood (dinosaurs, mud, dragonflies, a swing set and a trampoline) reminiscent of, say, Christopher Robin, the song may be about co-writer Aaron Dessner's son Robin. Bryan West, USA TODAY, 23 Apr. 2024 And thriving in these flammable forests were eight-foot-long millipedes and hawk-sized dragonfly relatives. Max Bennett, Discover Magazine, 11 Mar. 2024 Zuckerberg's suit featured gold dragonfly embellishments while Chan's black dress featured some gold flowers to match. Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024 Even inexpensive, imitation Tiffany-style light fixtures feature beautiful colors, signature dragonflies, and brass bases like the million-dollar originals. Sharon Greenthal, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Mar. 2024 Prior to designing the spiky silicon, researchers studied the structural composition of cicada and dragonfly wings, which have evolved to feature similarly sharp nanostructures capable of skewering fungal spores and bacterial cells. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 27 Mar. 2024 Lana Del Rey expressed her excitement for the album, sharing the cover art, which sees a green dragonfly sitting on the side of Hill’s bare buttocks, on Instagram Thursday. Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2024 There are several other creatures with dragon in their name such as bearded dragons, dragonfish and dragonflies. Kurt Snibbe, Orange County Register, 8 Feb. 2024 The agency has developed warehouses’ worth of spy gadgetry over the years, my favorite being the Cold War camera designed to look and hover like a dragonfly. William J. Burns, Foreign Affairs, 30 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dragonfly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1626, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dragonfly was in 1626

Dictionary Entries Near dragonfly

Cite this Entry

“Dragonfly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dragonfly. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

dragonfly

noun
drag·​on·​fly -ˌflī How to pronounce dragonfly (audio)
: any of a group of large harmless insects that have four long wings held horizontal and sticking out instead of folded to the side next to the body when at rest and that feed especially on flies, gnats, and mosquitoes compare damselfly

More from Merriam-Webster on dragonfly

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