French Conversation · Level 116
60 words
French word
drosophile
Pronunciation
IPA/dʁozofil/
Meaning
- feminine nounfruit fly
Example
Une drosophile vole près de la pomme.
A fruit fly is flying near the apple.
More examples
Il est difficile d'attraper une drosophile à la main.
It is difficult to catch a fruit fly by hand.
Core concept
A tiny fly hovering around ripe fruit and fermenting drinks.
Common phrases
attraper une drosophile
catch a fruit fly
des drosophiles dans les déchets
fruit flies in the trash
Similar words
mouche: A common fly seen indoors and outdoors, often flying around food.
mouche des fruits: A very small fly found near ripe fruit or fermenting liquids.
Definition in French
Petit insecte du genre Drosophila, long de quelques millimètres, attiré par les fruits mûrs et les liquides fermentés, souvent appelé mouche des fruits.
Word origin
The French noun drosophile comes from the scientific genus name Drosophila, formed from Greek drosos, 'dew', and philos, 'loving'.
Usage tips
- Drosophile is feminine, so the usual article is une drosophile, like une mouche.