flier

IPA/ˈflaɪə(r)/
KK[flˈaɪɚ]IPA/ˈflaɪər/

flier — noun

  • fliersingular
  • fliersplural

1. a spelling of the word 'flyer' that is more common in American English, used for

1.名詞B1
釋義

a spelling of the word 'flyer' that is more common in American English, used for all of that word's meanings

例句

The news article used the spelling 'flier' for the pilot, which is common in US newspapers.

US spelling variant of flyer

Both 'flier' and 'flyer' appear in American dictionaries, though 'flyer' is more popular for advertisements.

用法筆記

In British English, 'flyer' is the standard spelling for all meanings. In American English, many style guides recommend 'flier' for a pilot or passenger and 'flyer' for a leaflet, but actual usage varies widely.

常見錯誤

The store handed out fliers for the sale.' (when writing for a British audience)
The store handed out flyers for the sale.
💡'flyer' is the preferred spelling in British English.

2. someone who flies and controls a plane for a living or as an activity, typically

2.名詞B1
釋義

someone who flies and controls a plane for a living or as an activity, typically a small or military aircraft

例句

Amihan, an experienced flier, has logged over 3,000 hours flying small planes across Southeast Asia.

experienced flier — collocation with experience adjective

The young flier earned her pilot's license at seventeen and now flies cargo planes.

同義詞
  • pilot

    Standard, everyday term for any person who controls an aircraft; much more common than 'flier'

  • aviator

    More formal and slightly dated; often used for early or military pilots

用法筆記

This sense is less common in everyday speech than 'pilot', but appears frequently in aviation news and military contexts. The compound 'frequent flier' belongs to sense 3, not this one.

常見錯誤

The flier announced the delay over the intercom.' (when meaning the person flying the plane)
The pilot announced the delay over the intercom.
💡'pilot' is the natural word for the person in charge of a commercial aircraft; 'flier' is rarer in that context.

3. someone on board an aircraft whose purpose is reaching a destination, not operat

3.名詞B1
釋義

someone on board an aircraft whose purpose is reaching a destination, not operating the plane

例句

The airline rewards its frequent fliers with free upgrades and priority boarding.

frequent flier — very common collocation

Darius, a nervous flier, always books an aisle seat near the front of the plane.

nervous flier — adjective describing type of passenger

同義詞
  • passenger

    Broader term that covers all forms of transport; more common in general use

  • traveler

    Even broader; includes any kind of journey, not just by air

用法筆記

This sense is extremely common in the fixed phrase 'frequent flier' (sometimes spelled 'frequent flyer'), which refers to a loyalty programme or a person who flies often. Outside that phrase, 'passenger' is more neutral.

常見錯誤

I am a frequent flier on the train between Taipei and Kaohsiung.
I am a frequent traveller on the train between Taipei and Kaohsiung.
💡'flier' is only used for air travel, not trains or buses.

4. a single sheet of paper with information about a product, event, or service, usu

4.名詞B1
釋義

a single sheet of paper with information about a product, event, or service, usually given to people in public places or left in mailboxes

例句

Tanvi stood outside the subway station handing out fliers for the community music festival.

hand out fliers — verb + noun collocation

A flier for the new sushi restaurant was tucked under every windshield wiper on the street.

flier for [event/place] — preposition pattern

同義詞
  • leaflet

    Standard British English term; can be a single sheet or a multi-fold paper

  • handout

    Often refers to something distributed in a classroom or meeting setting

  • brochure

    A glossy, multi-page booklet for marketing, more polished than a flier

用法筆記

In American English, 'flier' and 'flyer' are used interchangeably for this sense. In British English, 'leaflet' is the standard word. Digital versions are sometimes called 'digital fliers' or 'e-flyers'.

常見錯誤

Please take a flier about our health insurance options.' (when it's a multi-page booklet)
Please take a brochure about our health insurance options.
💡'brochure' is better for multi-page, glossy materials; 'flier' is for a single sheet.