flightless
adjective
- lacking the capacity to fly
Wiktionary
adj
Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *plew- Proto-Indo-European *plewk- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *pléwketi Proto-Germanic *fleuganą Proto-West Germanic *fleugan Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Germanic *-þiz Proto-West Germanic *-þi Proto-West Germanic *fluhti Old English flyht Middle English flight English flight Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- Proto-Indo-European *lewHs-der. Proto-Germanic *leusaną Proto-Germanic *lausaz Proto-Germanic *-lausaz Proto-West Germanic *-laus Old English -lēas Middle English -les English -less English flightless From flight + -less.
- Unable to fly.
“Near-synonyms: apterous, wingless”
“The indigenous fauna of Australia and New Zealand featured an especially interesting array of flightless birds.”
- Unable to fly.
“The animal shelter has a flightless sparrow named Shiny, who seems to make up for his disability by being an avid runner.”
- Unable to fly.
“Oh great, some wind is blowing in Chicago, so now I'm flightless in Seattle, because this airline can't cope!”