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overflight

American  
[oh-ver-flahyt] / ˈoʊ vərˌflaɪt /

noun

  1. an air flight that passes over a specific area, country, or territory.

    Overflights of foreign aircraft are closely monitored.


overflight British  
/ ˈəʊvəˌflaɪt /

noun

  1. the flight of an aircraft over a specific area or territory

"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

Etymology

Origin of overflight

1590–1600 as pertaining to the flight of birds; 1955–60 for current sense; over- + flight 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Saudi Arabia and Egypt denied UAE overflight permissions.

From Los Angeles Times May 24, 2026

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te on Saturday announced his arrival in Eswatini -- Taipei's only diplomatic ally in Africa -- after an earlier trip was cancelled when several countries revoked overflight permits.

From Barron's May 2, 2026

Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te postponed an official trip to Eswatini -- the island's only diplomatic ally -- last week after "Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar unexpectedly and without prior notice revoked the charter's overflight permits".

From Barron's Apr. 26, 2026

The aircraft could be launched from the ships or from nearby Gulf countries, if those partners provide overflight and basing rights.

From The Wall Street Journal Mar. 19, 2026

By the time of our overflight, half or more of what once had been the flourishing land of the Maya was abandoned.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

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