highflier

American  

[hahy-flahy-er] / ˈhaɪˈflaɪ ər /

Or high-flier,

noun

1. a person who is extravagant or goes to extremes in aims, pretensions, opinions, etc.

2. a person or thing that flies high.

3. a stock, often speculative, whose price moves up or down widely.

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Etymology

Origin of highflier

First recorded in 1680–90; high + flier

Example Sentences

The upcoming quarterly S&P 500 rebalance could usher in a promotion of sorts for at least one artificial-intelligence highflier.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 6, 2026

Tesla stock, once a market highflier, has vastly underperformed several of its Magnificent Seven peers as sales of its electric vehicles have slowed.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 19, 2026

Still, I do know that when you own a highflier like Nvidia—an undeniably great company—bailing out after a 10 percent decline doesn’t make sense.

From Slate • Feb. 19, 2024

A highflier who is not much of a playmaker, DeRozan uses screens to gain an advantage, then attacks the paint with long, fast strides, or pulls up and easily elevates over most defenders.

From New York Times • Apr. 18, 2014

“I’ll play the highflier to-night if I can, kid; though it’s a new game with Dan Dolan, I must say.”

From Killykinick by Waggaman, Mary T. (Mary Theresa)