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

Four astronauts will perform a lunar flyby but will not land on the moon. —Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 31 Mar. 2026

Astronauts will be using NASA's newest spacecraft, Orion, for the lunar flyby. —Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026

During their lunar flyby, the astronauts will become the first humans to see some parts of the moon up close and in person. —Tom Costello, NBC news, 30 Mar. 2026

The mission is a lunar flyby, so the crew will not land on the moon or enter lunar orbit. —Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026

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