flier

American  

[flahy-er] / ˈflaɪ ər /

Or flyer

noun

1. something that flies, as a bird or insect.

2. an aviator or pilot.

3. an airplane passenger, especially one who travels regularly by air.

4. a person or thing that moves with great speed.

5. some part of a machine having a rapid motion.

6. a small handbill; circular.

7. Informal. a flying jump or leap.

   He took a flier off the bridge.

8. Informal. a risky or speculative venture.

   Our flier in uranium stocks was a disaster.

9. one of the steps in a straight flight of stairs.

10. a trapeze artist; aerialist.

11. a silvery-green sunfish, Centrarchus macropterus, found from Virginia to Florida and through the lower Mississippi valley.

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flier British  

/ ˈflaɪə /

noun

1. a variant spelling of flyer

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Etymology

Origin of flier

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at fly ², -er ¹

Explanation

Go to a career fair and you'll be accosted with fliers or leaflet advertisements for the many companies there. Often fliers are a waste of paper because they get thrown away. Just like the paper fliers that people hand to you on the street that end up flying into a trash cans, a flier can also mean someone who flies or travels by air. You might also see the word spelled flyer, which works too. A frequent flier is a person who travels a lot. Get enough frequent flier miles on an airline and you could fly somewhere for free.

Example Sentences

Taking a flier on a D-III pitcher was no longer justifiable.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

Yet the doc has been shut out of film festivals and distribution so far; South by Southwest and Sundance rejections are stamped on a promotional flier.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

With ordinary Japanese, especially younger ones, Takaichi has got off to a flier, becoming something of a fashion icon and a hit on social media.

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026

The Lancashire opener started England's innings in dramatic fashion, hitting Theekshana for six then successive fours to get his side off to a flier.

From BBC • Jan. 30, 2026

With coaching from his mother, Brightbill was becoming a truly exceptional flier.

From "The Wild Robot" by Peter Brown

Related Words

• aviator