UAP

American  

abbreviation

plural

UAP's, UAPs

1. unidentified aerial phenomenon: a phenomenon or object in the atmosphere, observed from the ground or the air, whose nature or cause remains unexplained even after subsequent scientific analysis.

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Usage

In 2021, the U.S. government released for the first time an unclassified intelligence assessment of UAP’s (unidentified aerial phenomena). The report avoided use of the older term UFO (unidentified flying object) because of its association with unproven claims of extraterrestrial spacecraft sightings. UAP has been embraced as the official term, as it expresses a neutral position on the associated phenomena that remain an ongoing mystery.

Etymology

Origin of UAP

First recorded in 2000–05

Example Sentences

She added that the “best case is that with transparency, people can see the UAP mystery for themselves and hard data is made available for the scientific community to try and get some answers.”

From Salon • Jan. 25, 2025

“We’ve witnessed changes in the field of disclosure in the few years, with the UAP task force and the Pentagon reports. We’re getting the vibe that this is being taken seriously.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2024

After the dissolution of last year’s UAP Disclosure Act, he’s now lobbying Congress to establish an independent board that would gather and declassify information and protect whistleblowers.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2024

"The DoD has no overarching UAP policy and, as a result, it lacks assurance that national security and flight safety threats to the United States from UAP have been identified and mitigated."

From Salon • Mar. 14, 2024

Traditional academia has mostly avoided UAP research because of the stigma of flying saucers and space invaders.

From Science Daily • Feb. 28, 2024