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

However, a 2024 study confirmed that these conditions were the result of intense solar activity that had reached the planet during the Voyager 2 flyby. —Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 11 June 2025

Much like with Top Gun: Maverick, Cruise is doing a Cannes flyby with Mission: Impossible 8, with the whistle-stop on the Croisette followed up by press touchdowns in London, Korea and Japan. —Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2025

The country's Chang'e 2 lunar orbiter made a flyby of the asteroid Toutatis in 2012 as part of an extended mission after mapping the moon. —Andrew Jones, Space.com, 8 June 2025

Juno’s next close flyby of Jupiter, perijove 73, will occur on June 10, 2025. —Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1953, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for flyby

• apply
• awry
• belie
• bely
• bigeye
• bonsai
• buckeye
• comply
• coxae
• decry
• defy
• deny

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