flying fox

American  

noun

1. any large fruit bat of the genus Pteropus, of Old World tropical regions, having a foxlike head.

2. Australian. an aerial conveyor belt or suspended carrier operating on cables, often used to convey ore, dirt, or the like, over rivers and gorges in mining or construction operations.

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flying fox British  

noun

1. any large fruit bat, esp any of the genus Pteropus of tropical Africa and Asia: family Pteropodidae

2. a cable mechanism used for transportation across a river, gorge, etc

3. a cable mechanism ridden for fun at an adventure playground, etc

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Etymology

Origin of flying fox

First recorded in 1750–60

Example Sentences

Borneo island has one of the world's largest tracts of rainforest and hosts orangutans, long-nosed monkeys, clouded leopards, pig-tailed macaques, flying fox bats and the smallest rhinos on the planet.

From Barron's

A flying fox wore a tiny anesthetic mask.

From New York Times

Somewhere out there are clouded leopards, pygmy elephants, flying foxes, flying frogs, flying lemurs, flying snakes, nearly 700 species of birds, about a hundred species of bats, and more than a thousand kinds of ants.

From National Geographic

Here, a fruit bat called the flying fox exists alongside mangrove trees, helping to pollinate them.

From National Geographic

In a way, “flying fox” sparked discord over photographer access to newly born fox kits in a rural community where the term “fox photographer” has devolved into a slur.

From Seattle Times