UFO

American  

[yoo-ef-oh, yoo-foh] / ˈyuˈɛfˈoʊ, ˈyu foʊ /

abbreviation

plural

UFO's, UFOs

1. unidentified flying object: any unexplained moving object observed in the sky, especially one assumed by some observers to be of extraterrestrial origin.

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UFO British  

/ ˈjuːfəʊ /

abbreviation

1. unidentified flying object

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UFO ¹ Cultural  

1. The abbreviation for u nidentified f lying o bject. Sometimes referred to colloquially as “flying saucers.” Most UFO sightings have prosaic explanations; there is no hard evidence that extraterrestrial beings are visiting Earth.

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UFO ² Cultural  

1. An abbreviation for “U nidentified F lying O bject.” Often described as “flying saucers,” some UFOs are believed to come from other planets or galaxies and thus support the idea that human beings are not the only form of intelligent life in the universe. Few scientists agree.

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Usage

See UAP.

Etymology

Origin of UFO

First recorded 1950–55

Example Sentences

Perhaps the most likely reveal of any new probe into Washington’s UFO files will be that many people at the Pentagon are just as fascinated by the prospect of aliens as the rest of America.

From The Wall Street Journal

In a 2024 report, the Pentagon said there was "no evidence" that the US government had encountered alien life, and that most UFO sightings were just ordinary objects.

From BBC

Procure offers the Procure Space ETF, which trades under the symbol “UFO.”

From Barron's

I liked it better when this was simply known as “Untitled Steven Spielberg UFO movie.”

From Los Angeles Times

I went in tight, hoping to catch that bubble magic, and managed this single frame that looks like a UFO.

From BBC