UFO

noun

ˌyü-(ˌ)ef-ˈō 

ˈyü-(ˌ)fō

plural UFO's or UFOs ˌyü-(ˌ)ef-ˈōz 

ˈyü-(ˌ)fōz

: a mysterious flying object in the sky that is sometimes assumed to be a spaceship from another planet : unidentified flying object

"All right." The President sighed. "Is there anybody around this table who thinks UFOs and this signal from Vega have anything to do with each other?"

—Carl Sagan

In 1966, the first UFO "abduction" was described in journalist John G. Fuller's book The Interrupted Journey.

—Keay Davidson

called also UAP, unidentified aerial phenomenon, unidentified anomalous phenomenon

Examples of UFO in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Cena hit a Skull Crushing Finale, Styles pulled out a Torture Rack into a UFO Slam and later a Scorpion Death Drop. —Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2025

Paradise City Sales has closed deals for the film in France (UFO Distribution), Germany/Austria (Neue Visionen), Spain (ADSO Films), Switzerland (Trigon Film), Turkey (Bir Film), MENA (Sunnyland), Taiwan (Sky Digi Entertainment) and Airlines (Skeye). —Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 9 Oct. 2025

There’s so much happening in the scientific search for alien life, but also more openness toward the UFO community and a posture of transparency from the government. —Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 7 Oct. 2025

To enhance the verisimilitude of his wraparound segment, Cheel augments the fictional story of alien-contact footage discovered at a yard sale with nonfiction asides about UFO culture. —A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

unidentified flying object

First Known Use

1953, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for UFO

• acknow
• aglow
• ago
• airglow
• aloe
• altho
• although
• ammo
• backflow
• backhoe
• banjo
• barbeau

Kids Definition

UFO

noun

ˌyü-(ˌ)ef-ˈō 

plural UFO's or UFOs -ˈōz 

: an unidentified flying object

especially : flying saucer