sawfly

noun

saw·​fly ˈsȯ-ˌflī How to pronounce sawfly (audio)
: any of numerous hymenopterous insects (superfamily Tenthredinoidea and especially family Tenthredinidae) with the female usually having a sawlike ovipositor and with the larva resembling a plant-feeding caterpillar

Examples of sawfly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The rose slugs are the larvae of the sawfly. — Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026 This is the classic symptom for hawthorn leafminer, a type of sawfly. — Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 8 May 2025 Caterpillars have 5 or less pairs while sawfly larvae have 6 or more. — Dawn Pettinelli, Hartford Courant, 15 June 2024 Sawfly Also called rose slugs, sawflies are stingless, wasp-like insects. — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sawfly

Word History

First Known Use

1773, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sawfly was in 1773

Rhymes for sawfly

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Browse Nearby Words

sawfish
sawfly
saw gate
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Cite this Entry

“Sawfly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sawfly. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

sawfly

noun
saw·​fly -ˌflī How to pronounce sawfly (audio)
: any of numerous insects related to the wasps and bees in which the female has a serrated organ used to cut holes in plants where she lays eggs

More from Merriam-Webster on sawfly

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sawfly

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