fly-past: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, ceremonial, journalistic
Quick answer
What does “fly-past” mean?
A ceremonial flight of one or more aircraft over a specific location, typically for display or commemoration.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A ceremonial flight of one or more aircraft over a specific location, typically for display or commemoration.
Any formal, public transit over a location by aircraft; a planned, non-combat aerial parade.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The form 'flypast' (without a hyphen) is more common in UK English. In US English, 'flyover' is the more frequent term for the same event, though 'flyby' is also used for high-speed passes. 'Fly-past' is less common in the US.
Connotations
In the UK, strongly associated with royal or national events (e.g., Trooping the Colour). In the US, 'flyover' is common for military tributes or sports events.
Frequency
High frequency in UK ceremonial/ news context; low to medium in general US English.
Grammar
How to Use “fly-past” in a Sentence
The [air force] performed a fly-past over [the monument].A fly-past was held to commemorate [the anniversary].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “fly-past” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The Red Arrows are scheduled to fly past Buckingham Palace at 1pm.
American English
- The fighter jets will fly over the stadium during the national anthem.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Only in event planning for corporate ceremonies.
Academic
Rare. Used in historical or political science contexts describing state ceremonies.
Everyday
Low. Used when discussing major public events witnessed.
Technical
Medium in aviation/military contexts referring to planned ceremonial manoeuvres.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “fly-past”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “fly-past”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “fly-past”
- Using 'fly-past' to mean any aircraft seen in the sky. Confusing it with 'flyby' (often scientific/space-related). Using the verb form incorrectly (e.g., 'The jets will fly-past at noon' – correct: '...will perform a fly-past...').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a compound noun. The verb phrase is 'to fly past' (two words).
A fly-past is a brief, ceremonial transit over a specific point. An air show is a longer display at an airfield with various aerobatics and static aircraft.
No, it is exclusively used for aircraft in a formal, human-organized context.
It can be hyphenated ('fly-past') or written as one word ('flypast'), especially in British English.
A ceremonial flight of one or more aircraft over a specific location, typically for display or commemoration.
Fly-past is usually formal, ceremonial, journalistic in register.
Fly-past: in British English it is pronounced /ˈflaɪ pɑːst/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈflaɪ pæst/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly. The term itself functions as a fixed nominal idiom.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a plane flying PAST a ceremony to honour it: a FLY-PAST.
Conceptual Metaphor
AERIAL SALUTE (The aircraft are metaphorically 'saluting' from the sky).
Practice
Quiz
Which term is LEAST likely to be used in a US news report about jets honouring a war memorial?