Găd'flȳ, n.

n. [Eng. & A-S. gad, goad, sting, and fly, q. v.] (Entom.) An insect of the genus Œstrus, which stings cattle, and deposits its eggs in their skin;—called also breeze. The common species which infest oxen is Œstrus bovis.

☞ The gadfly of the horse produces the disease called bots. The proper horseflies are often erroneously called gadflies.