English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
adj

flightless

flīt'lĭs

Flightless (adj) means Unable to fly, especially describing a species or individual bird. Example: “The penguin is a flightless bird well adapted to swimming.”

adj
1
Unable to fly, especially describing a species or individual bird.
"The penguin is a flightless bird well adapted to swimming."

How to use flightless

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishDescribes birds (or occasionally insects) that cannot fly, like penguins, ostriches, and emus.

Common pairings
flightless bird flightless species
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “flightless” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The penguin is a _____ bird well adapted to swimming.

Etymology

From flight + the suffix -less ("without").

Rhymes for flightless

See all rhymes for flightless →

Frequently asked questions

What does “flightless” mean?

The word “flightless” means unable to fly, especially describing a species or individual bird. In plain terms, describes birds (or occasionally insects) that cannot fly, like penguins, ostriches, and emus.

How do you pronounce “flightless”?

“Flightless” is pronounced flīt'lĭs.

How do you use “flightless” in a sentence?

Here is “flightless” used in a sentence: “The penguin is a flightless bird well adapted to swimming.”

What part of speech is “flightless”?

“Flightless” is an adjective.

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial