flyby

noun

fly·​by ˈflī-ˌbī 

plural flybys

1

: a prearranged usually low-altitude flight by one or more airplanes over a public gathering (such as an air show)

2

a

: a flight of a spacecraft past a celestial body (such as Mars) close enough to obtain scientific data

b

: a spacecraft that makes a flyby

Examples of flyby in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The anomalous state of Uranus's magnetosphere during the Voyager 2 flyby. —Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2024

During the Voyager 2 flyby, the spacecraft observed a vortex amid Neptune’s clouds that scientists later dubbed as the Great Dark Spot. —Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024

The flyby of Earth in 2029 is so close that Earth’s gravity could alter its path, amplifying the uncertainty in its orbit. —Jamie Carter, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024

This final flyby is hoped to reveal more details about the scorching-hot planet, which sees its surface reach temperatures of up to 870 degrees Fahrenheit. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1953, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

flyby

noun

fly·​by -ˌbī 

plural flybys

1

: a usually low-altitude flight past a chosen place by one or more aircraft

2

a

: a flight of a spacecraft past a heavenly body (as Mars) close enough to obtain scientific information

b

: a spacecraft that makes a flyby