UFO

American  

[yoo-ef-oh, yoo-foh] / ˈjuˈɛfˈoʊ, ˈju foʊ /

abbreviation

• UFO's,
  plural
• UFOs
  plural

1. unidentified flying object: any unexplained moving object observed in the sky, especially one assumed by some observers to be of extraterrestrial origin.

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UFO British  

/ ˈjuːfəʊ /

abbreviation

1. unidentified flying object

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UFO ¹ Cultural  

1. The abbreviation for u nidentified f lying o bject. Sometimes referred to colloquially as “flying saucers.” Most UFO sightings have prosaic explanations; there is no hard evidence that extraterrestrial beings are visiting Earth.

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UFO ² Cultural  

1. An abbreviation for “U nidentified F lying O bject.” Often described as “flying saucers,” some UFOs are believed to come from other planets or galaxies and thus support the idea that human beings are not the only form of intelligent life in the universe. Few scientists agree.

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Usage

See UAP.

Etymology

Origin of UFO

First recorded 1950–55

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

UFO

He professed a fondness for Tupac Shakur and electronic dance music, discussed UFO sightings around U.S. military installations and admitted his ideal fall Saturday involves spending hours watching college football.

From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026

Space is hot, featuring NASA, UFO and WARP.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

When Sheen returned to the area with his family in 1977, having lived for a while in Liverpool, he was told that his neighbour had seen "a UFO hovering over her back garden".

From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026

In 2020, on the Tyler Cowen podcast, Obama CIA chief John Brennan responded to UFO sightings over U.S. military training ranges by clearly suggesting alien life.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

A standard motif in science fiction and UFO literature assumes extraterrestrials roughly as capable as we.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan