flight

[ flahyt ]

/ flaɪt /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: flight / flighted / flighting on Thesaurus.com

noun

the act, manner, or power of flying.

the distance covered or the course taken by a flying object: a 500-mile flight; the flight of the ball.

a trip by an airplane, glider, etc.

a scheduled trip on an airline: a 5 o'clock flight.

a number of beings or things flying or passing through the air together: a flight of geese.

the basic tactical unit of military air forces, consisting of two or more aircraft.

the act, principles, or technique of flying an airplane: flight training.

a journey into or through outer space: a rocket flight.

swift movement, transition, or progression: the flight of time.

a soaring above or transcending ordinary bounds: a flight of fancy.

a series of steps between one floor or landing of a building and the next.

a sampling of several wines or beers, or of a particular type of food, for the purpose of comparative tasting: a customized wine flight for four people; a flight of appetizers.

Archery.

flight arrow.
the distance such an arrow travels when shot.

verb (used without object)

(of wild fowls) to fly in coordinated flocks.

OTHER WORDS FOR flight

5 flock.

9 rush, dash, fleetingness.

See synonyms for flight on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of flight

First recorded inbefore 900; Middle English; Old English flyht; cognate with Dutch vlucht; akin to fly²

Words nearby flight

flick-knife, flick-pass, flied, flier, flies, flight, flight arrow, flight attendant, flight bag, flight capital, flight control

Other definitions for flight (2 of 2)

flight²

[ flahyt ]

/ flaɪt /

noun

an act or instance of fleeing or running away; hasty departure.

Origin of flight

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English flight, flught, flyte, Old English fliht, flyht; cognate with German Flucht; akin to flee

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use flight in a sentence

It would be easier to gain FAA certification if they simply converted a tried-and-true existing airplane for robotic flight.
Cessna makes history by taking off and landing with no one aboard. Here’s how|Jeremy Kahn|August 26, 2020|Fortune
Nonetheless, there is clear evidence of airborne transmission risk on passenger flights.
American Airlines touts a new tool to combat COVID. But does it really make flying safer?|dzanemorris|August 24, 2020|Fortune
Palantir Technologies, the data-mining company on the verge of going public, is moving to Denver, following a flight from Silicon Valley by chairman Peter Thiel and CEO Alex Karp.
Prominent Silicon Valley tech company departs for Denver|Verne Kopytoff|August 19, 2020|Fortune
The most common cancellations outright with little to no chance of getting a refund have been for hotel and flight reservations as well as live concerts.
What to do if you lost money on an event canceled because of COVID-19|Rachel King|August 19, 2020|Fortune

The unprecedented logistical challenge of delivering more than 15 billion Covid-19 vaccines will be made even harder by the drop in passenger flights as people stay home during coronavirus.
Air travel’s collapse will make it harder to ship vaccines|Olivia Goldhill|August 14, 2020|Quartz
The anti-crime cops began searching the likely path of flight.
Shot Down During the NYPD Slowdown|Michael Daly|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Did the airline file a flight plan that took account of the weather en route from Surabaya, Indonesia, to Singapore?
Annoying Airport Delays Might Prevent You From Becoming the Next AirAsia 8501|Clive Irving|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The copilot on Flight 8501 was Remi Emmanuel Piesel, 46, who despite his age had just 2,275 hours of flying experience.
Annoying Airport Delays Might Prevent You From Becoming the Next AirAsia 8501|Clive Irving|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Specifically, what briefing did the flight crew receive before they went to the airplane?
Annoying Airport Delays Might Prevent You From Becoming the Next AirAsia 8501|Clive Irving|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
AirAsia Indonesia, which operated Flight 8501, is the Indonesian subsidiary of AirAsia, which is based in Malaysia.
Annoying Airport Delays Might Prevent You From Becoming the Next AirAsia 8501|Clive Irving|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
They ran side by side across the yard to a roofed flight of steps that led to the printing-office.
Hilda Lessways|Arnold Bennett
My one room,” replied that much injured gentleman, “was on the Coffee Room flight.
The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, v. 2(of 2)|Charles Dickens
But the flight of the insurgents was too far advanced to rally them, and they retired south towards Pampanga.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
To be sure, he hadn't seen Mrs. Robin go, but he had heard the beat of her wings as she began her flight.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
His attitude was one of hopeless resignation as he looked toward a distant bird winging its flight away from him.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin

British Dictionary definitions for flight (1 of 2)

flight¹

/ (flaɪt) /

noun

the act, skill, or manner of flying

a journey made by a flying animal or object

a scheduled airline journey
an aircraft flying on such a journey

a group of flying birds or aircrafta flight of swallows

the basic tactical unit of a military air force

a journey through space, esp of a spacecraft

rapid movement or progress

a soaring mental journey above or beyond the normal everyday worlda flight of fancy

a single line of hurdles across a track in a race
a series of such hurdles

a bird's wing or tail feather; flight feather

a feather or plastic attachment fitted to an arrow or dart to give it stability in flight

See flight arrow

the distance covered by a flight arrow

sport, esp cricket

a flighted movement imparted to a ball, dart, etc
the ability to flight a ball

angling a device on a spinning lure that revolves rapidly

a set of steps or stairs between one landing or floor and the next

a large enclosed area attached to an aviary or pigeon loft where the birds may fly but not escape

verb

(tr) sport to cause (a ball, dart, etc) to float slowly or deceptively towards its target

(intr) (of wild fowl) to fly in groups

(tr) to shoot (a bird) in flight

(tr) to fledge (an arrow or a dart)

Word Origin for flight

Old English flyht; related to Middle Dutch vlucht, Old Saxon fluht

British Dictionary definitions for flight (2 of 2)

flight²

/ (flaɪt) /

noun

the act of fleeing or running away, as from danger

put to flight to cause to run away; rout

take flight or take to flight to run away or withdraw hastily; flee

Word Origin for flight

Old English flyht (unattested); related to Old Frisian flecht, Old High German fluht, Old Norse flōtti

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with flight

flight

In addition to the idioms beginning with flight

flight of fancy

also see:

put to flight
take flight

flight

OTHER WORDS FOR flight

Origin of flight

Words nearby flight

Other definitions for flight (2 of 2)

Origin of flight

Words related to flight

How to use flight in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for flight (1 of 2)

Word Origin for flight

British Dictionary definitions for flight (2 of 2)

Word Origin for flight

Other Idioms and Phrases with flight