Revised as of
19 Nov 2022
You’re in luck. There’s no real difference between this pair of word confusions flier vs flyer as nouns, until you choose which version you want to use. Then you need to be consistent.
When it comes to flyer as an adjective . . . stick to this second spelling.
Well, unless your publisher has a preferred style guide that prefers one over the other . . .
Oh, by the way, airlines prefer flyer.
Word Confusions . . .
. . . started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noire for you from either end.
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| Flier | Flyer |
|---|---|
High Flier on Mountain Bike Track by P. Leedell is under the CC BY-SA 2.0 license, via Geograph.uk. |
Found Dog is under the CC0 license, via PxHere, <https://pxhere.com/en/photo/285302>. — I’m worried about the person who posted this flyer… |
| Part of Grammar: | |
| Noun
Plural: fliers Alternative spelling: flyer |
Adjective; Noun
Plural for the noun: flyers Alternative spelling: flier |
[Mainly US] A person or thing that flies, especially in a particular way
[Not commonly used] A small handbill advertising an event or product
[Chiefly North American] A speculative investment A step in a straight flight of stairs [Informal] A flying jump or leap A trapeze artist
A silvery-green sunfish, Centrarchus macropterus, found from Virginia to Florida and through the lower Mississippi valley |
Adjective: [North American] Stylish and fashionable [British] Knowing and clever
Noun:
[Textiles] A rotating device that adds twist to the slubbing or roving and winds the stock onto a spindle or bobbin in a uniform manner
[Commonly used] An advertising circular [Chiefly North American] Take a chance |
| Examples: | |
| She was always a nervous flier.
These birds are graceful fliers. He’s in the frequent flier club. He was a flier on an aircraft carrier. He took a flier off the bridge. Our flier in uranium stocks was a disaster. They handed out fliers asking you to vote for Jane Schumacker. When referring to the “anatomy” of stairs, a flier can also be referred to as the riser. In a traditional flying trapeze act, flyers mount a narrow board and take off from the board on the fly bar. “The flier is a sunfish native to muddy-bottomed swamps, ponds, weedy lakes, and riverine backwaters across the American South, from southern Illinois east to the Potomac River basin, and south to Texas” (Flier (fish)). |
Adjective: They were wearin’ flyer clothes than yours! She’s flyer enough to do better than them. Noun: “On a spinning wheel the flyer adds twist, and the bobbin takes-up or winds-on the … yarn” (Amos). Flyers announcing the concert were distributed throughout the city. Aww, take a flyer, bub. Take flight off the ski slope and be a speed flyer with the help of a special parachute. |
| Derivatives: | |
| Adjective: fly Noun: fly |
Adjective: fly, flyest Noun: fly, flyness |
| History of the Word: | |
| Late Middle English dating back to 1400–50. | Late Middle English dating back to 1400–50. |
C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!
Satisfy your curiosity about other Word Confusions on its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to explore Book Layout & Formatting Ideas, Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, Linguistics, Publishing Tips, the Properly Punctuated, Writing Ideas and Resources, and Working Your Website.
Resources for Flier versus Flyer
Amos. “Spinning Wheel Drive Pptions: Double drive, Irish, Scotch, Oh My!” Halycon Yarn. 7 December 2015. Web. 17 March 2020. <https://halcyonyarn.com/news/spinning-wheel-drive-options-scotch-irish-double/16902>.
Apple Dictionary.com
“Flier (Fish).” Wikipedia. 17 September 2019. Web. 17 March 2020. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flier_(fish)>.
Pinterest Photo Credits:
Sport Flier is via PxHere, <https://pxhere.com/en/photo/649819>. Its background has been removed and the orange of the parachute was changed to green. Summer Sky via Pikrepo was modified and feathered. Flier for Window Display: “A Woman Living Here Has Registered to Vote Thereby Assuming Responsibility of Citizenship”, 1920, by an unknown author is via Wikimedia Commons. Its text was removed. All three are under the CC0 license.
