preflight

American  

[pree-flahyt] / priˈflaɪt /

adjective

1. occurring or done before a flight.

   a preflight briefing of the plane's crew.

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noun

1. a preflight briefing or a ground check, as of an airplane.

preflight British  

/ ˈpriːˈflaɪt /

adjective

1. of or relating to the period just prior to a plane taking off

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Etymology

Origin of preflight

First recorded in 1920–25; pre- + flight ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

preflight

The confusion that ensued became a "catalyst" for modern regulations mandating better flotation equipment on planes and preflight briefings on how to use it, aviation safety expert John Cox told AP.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

It took more than a year for SpaceX to resume flights from a launchpad at Cape Canaveral after a preflight explosion destroyed a Falcon 9 rocket in 2016.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 2, 2026

“You can’t help but be nervous,” Commander Wiseman said preflight; the adjustments now seem to have worked.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 14, 2026

Inspection of the hardware was required by the pilot during each preflight inspection and during the most recent 100-hour inspection in October 2022, according to the report.

From Seattle Times ● May 3, 2024

Then on January 27, 1967, a space flight numbered AS-204, later known as Apollo 1, was moving through its preflight tests to send the first manned space flight to the moon.

From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson