flying

/ˈflaɪ.ɪŋ/

//ˈflaɪ.ɪŋ// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"flying" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“flying” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,997 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#1,997
frequency rank, English
6
letters
10
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - That flies or can fly.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

flying vs Flynn
50% similar
flying vs frying
83% similar
flying vs fuming
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for flying
PropertyValue
Headwordflying
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈflaɪ.ɪŋ/
Letters6
Frequency rank#1,997
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “flying” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). flying lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for flying is 6 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈflaɪ.ɪŋ/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,997 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for flying, with forms such as "fflying", "fliyng", and "fllying". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "Flynn", "frying", "fuming", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English fleynge, fleeʒinge, flihinde, vlyinde, vleoinde, flyand, ffleghand, flighand (also fleoninde, fleonninde, etc.), from Old English flēogende, from Proto-Germanic *fleugandz (“flying”), present participle of Proto-Germanic *fleuganą (“to f… The correct English form is flying, spelled F-L-Y-I-N-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    That flies or can fly.
  2. 2
    Brief or hurried.
  3. 3
    Capable of moving rapidly; highly mobile.
  4. 4
    Not secured by yards.
  5. 5
    Capable of foiling.
  6. 6
    Designating a cattle brand consisting of a letter extended on both sides with tilde-like curved lines.

Etymology

From Middle English fleynge, fleeʒinge, flihinde, vlyinde, vleoinde, flyand, ffleghand, flighand (also fleoninde, fleonninde, etc.), from Old English flēogende, from Proto-Germanic *fleugandz (“flying”), present participle of Proto-Germanic *fleuganą (“to fly”), equivalent to fly + -ing. Cognate with Saterland Frisian fljoogend (“flying”), West Frisian fleanend (“flying”), Dutch vliegend (“flying”), German Low German flegend (“flying”), German fliegend (“flying”), Danish flyvende (“flying”), Swedish flygande (“flying”), Icelandic fljúgandi (“flying”).

This word in other languages

volador(Español)volant(Français)fliegend(Deutsch)voador(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: fflying,fliyng,fllying,flyign,flyingg,flyinng,flynig,flyying,fyling,lfying

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of flying - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

fflying1fliyng2fllying1flyign2flyingg1flyinng1flynig2flyying1
Edit distance from "flying"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "flying"?
"flying" is spelled F-L-Y-I-N-G. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈflaɪ.ɪŋ/.
What does "flying" mean?
As an adjective, "flying" means: That flies or can fly.
What words are commonly confused with "flying"?
"flying" is commonly confused with "Flynn", "frying", "fuming". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "flying"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "flying" is /ˈflaɪ.ɪŋ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "flying"?
From Middle English fleynge, fleeʒinge, flihinde, vlyinde, vleoinde, flyand, ffleghand, flighand (also fleoninde, fleonninde, etc.), from Old English flēogende, from Proto-Germanic *fleugandz (“flying”), present participle of Proto-Germanic *fleug... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “flying”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is F-L-Y-I-N-G - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈflaɪ.ɪŋ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Flynn” - see the side-by-side comparison. flying vs Flynn
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list