English word origin

Etymology of flyer

From fly + -er (agent noun suffix). With regard to the sense "female kangaroo": because of the high speed at which they move.

3 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 3 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1 · variant 1/2

Original entry ↗

verb

To distribute flyers (leaflets). · To distribute flyers in (a location) or to (recipients).

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From fly + -er (agent noun suffix). With regard to the sense "female kangaroo": because of the high speed at which they move.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Word-formation componentflyen
Word-formation component-eren

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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        "1": "en",
        "2": "fly",
        "3": "-er",
        "id2": "agent noun",
        "pos2": "agent noun suffix"
      },
      "expansion": "fly + -er (agent noun suffix)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
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      "fly#English"
    ],
    [
      "-er",
      "-er#English:_agent_noun"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To distribute flyers (leaflets).",
        "To distribute flyers in (a location) or to (recipients)."
      ],
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        "intransitive",
        "transitive"
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Source etymology 1 · variant 2/2

Original entry ↗

noun

That which flies, as a bird or insect. · A machine that flies. · An airplane pilot. · A person who travels by airplane.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From fly + -er (agent noun suffix). With regard to the sense "female kangaroo": because of the high speed at which they move.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Word-formation componentflyen
Word-formation component-eren

This page abbreviates 12 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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  "templates": [
    {
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      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fly",
        "3": "-er",
        "id2": "agent noun",
        "pos2": "agent noun suffix"
      },
      "expansion": "fly + -er (agent noun suffix)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "fly",
      "fly#English"
    ],
    [
      "-er",
      "-er#English:_agent_noun"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "lang_code": "fi",
      "word": "flaijeri",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    },
    {
      "lang": "French",
      "lang_code": "fr",
      "word": "flyer",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    },
    {
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "word": "Flyer",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    },
    {
      "lang": "Korean",
      "lang_code": "ko",
      "word": "플라이어",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ],
      "roman": "peullaieo"
    },
    {
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "lang_code": "pt",
      "word": "flyer",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "That which flies, as a bird or insect.",
        "A machine that flies.",
        "An airplane pilot.",
        "A person who travels by airplane."
      ],
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}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

adj

comparative form of fly: more fly

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree English fly Proto-Indo-European *-yōs Proto-Germanic *-izô Proto-West Germanic *-iʀō Proto-Germanic *-ōzô Proto-West Germanic *-ōʀō Old English -ra Middle English -ere English -er English flyer From fly + -er (comparative suffix).

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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        "1": "en",
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        "3": "fly",
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      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nEnglish fly\nProto-Indo-European *-yōs\nProto-Germanic *-izô\nProto-West Germanic *-iʀō\nProto-Germanic *-ōzô\nProto-West Germanic *-ōʀō\nOld English -ra\nMiddle English -ere\nEnglish -er\nEnglish flyer\n[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-izô\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-iʀō\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" }, { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-ōzô\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-ōʀō\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"-ra\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"-ere\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-er\", \"lang\" : \"en\", \"pos\" : \"comparative suffix\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"flyer\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"flyer\">\nFrom fly + -er (comparative suffix)."
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    }
  ],
  "links": [
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    ],
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      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-yōs"
    ],
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      "*-izô",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-izô"
    ],
    [
      "*-iʀō",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/-iʀō"
    ],
    [
      "*-ōzô",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-ōzô"
    ],
    [
      "*-ōʀō",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/-ōʀō"
    ],
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      "-ra",
      "-ra#Old_English:_comparative"
    ],
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      "-ere#Middle_English:_comparative"
    ],
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      "-er",
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      "-er",
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    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
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        "comparative form of fly: more fly"
      ],
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        "comparative",
        "form-of"
      ],
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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

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Contribute located evidence for flyer →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-Zmx5ZXI