- flight (1)
- "flying," O.E. flyht "a flying, flight." from P.Gmc. *flukhtiz (cf. Low Ger. flugt, Ger. Flucht). Spelling altered from M.E. fliht c. 1385 (see fight), from root of *fleugan "to fly" (see fly (v.1)). Meaning "an instance of flight" is 1785, originally of ballooning. Meaning "series of stairs between landings" is from 1703.
- flight (2)
- "fleeing," from M.E. fluht (c.1200), not found in O.E., but presumed to have existed. Related to O.E. fleon "flee" (see flee).