firefly

[fahyuhr-flahy]

noun

plural

fireflies 

1. any nocturnal beetle of the family Lampyridae, characterized by a soft body with a light-producing organ at the rear of the abdomen.

firefly

/ ˈfaɪəˌflaɪ /

noun

1. any nocturnal beetle of the family Lampyridae , common in warm and tropical regions, having luminescent abdominal organs See also glow-worm

2. any tropical American click beetle of the genus Pyrophorus , esp P. noctiluca , that have luminescent thoracic organs

Word History and Origins

Origin of firefly¹

First recorded in 1650–60; fire + fly ¹

Example Sentences

In a way, all animals make rhythms, whether in the form of fireflies flashing, birds chirping or even a tiger pacing back and forth.

From Salon

A line in “Maybe Happy Ending” describes the lives of fireflies, the once-ubiquitous insects that magically produce their own light.

From Los Angeles Times

Scientists have named the distant galaxy Firefly Sparkle, because it also looks like a swarm of multi-coloured fireflies.

From BBC

An audience clapping in rhythm, fireflies flashing in unison, or flocks of starlings moving as one -- synchronisation is a natural phenomenon observed across diverse systems and scales.

From Science Daily

Exodus became a dangerous trail of taillights flickering through the dust like fading fireflies, and camps across the playa feared they’d be stuck breaking down until the end of the week.

From Los Angeles Times