ENGLISH
REFERENCE

flyer

n. · v.
US //ˈfɫaɪɝ// UK //flˈaɪɐ// fly·er
  1. 1 advertising leaflet (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a small sheet of paper used to advertise an event, product, or service.

    a printed advertisement or notice intended for wide distribution, typically handed out in public or delivered to homes.

    Example

    I found a flyer for the new pizza place on my car windshield.

    Example

    The local theatre group spent the afternoon distributing flyers to passersby to promote their upcoming production of Hamlet.
  2. 2 airline passenger (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a person who travels in an aircraft.

    a passenger who travels by air, often categorised by frequency of travel.

    Example

    The airline offers special rewards for people who are frequent flyers.

    Example

    Business flyers often prioritise direct routes and lounge access over the lowest available ticket price.
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  1. 3 fast-moving thing (n.)
    C1 Advanced Informal

    someone or something that moves very quickly.

    an entity, such as a person, animal, or vehicle, characterised by high speed or rapid progress.

    Example

    That new race car is a real flyer on the straight parts of the track.

    Example

    The young sprinter proved to be a real flyer, breaking the school record during his very first competitive meet.
    • speedster
  2. 4 risky venture (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Informal

    a small gamble or a risky financial investment.

    a speculative or risky investment or venture, often undertaken with the hope of a quick profit.

    Example

    He decided to take a flyer on the new tech company's stock.

    Example

    The venture capitalist was known for taking a flyer on unproven startups that others deemed too volatile for traditional investment.

    Usage

    Often used with the verb 'take'.
  3. 5 to hand out leaflets (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to give out paper advertisements to people in a public place.

    to distribute promotional leaflets to a target audience or within a specific geographic area.

    Example

    The band spent all weekend flyering the neighbourhood for their Saturday show.

    Example

    Political volunteers were out in force, flyering the main square ahead of the upcoming municipal elections.

    Usage

    Can be used transitively (to flyer a street) or intransitively.
Etymology 1

From fly + -er (agent noun suffix). With regard to the sense "female kangaroo": because of the high speed at which they move.

Etymology 2

From fly + -er (comparative suffix).

Idioms2 entries

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