- present participle of sight.
sighting
Britishnoun
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an occasion on which something is seen
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Another name for sight
Explanation
A sighting is an instance of discovering or observing something. You might use your telescope to watch the night sky for hours in the hope of a UFO sighting. Your friend, an avid birdwatcher, gets excited at every woodpecker or heron sighting he makes, while you're more interested in sightings of used bookstores. A sighting of your favorite pop star — a quick glimpse as she ducks into a limousine — might be thrilling for you and your friend! Sighting, "an instance of catching sight," dates from the mid-19th century.
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.
My first gray whale sighting was entirely accidental.
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
Michael Sheen is set to star in a Welsh comedy film about a UFO sighting - after sharing his own encounter with "a phalanx of lights" in his hometown.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
Each confirmed sighting therefore provides valuable information about where these predators still occur.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 26, 2026
Jalen Brunson had offered a rare sighting of public civility.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
My first sighting is in a news story referencing the Dark Days.
From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
