n.
Any of various small fruit flies of the genus Drosophila, especially D. melanogaster, used extensively in genetic research.
[New Latin Drosophila, genus name : Greek drosos, dew + New Latin -phila, feminine of -philus, -phile.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
