high-flier
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Anything above the common order. Apt students, fast coaches, and special trains are sufficient instances of the extreme openness of the qualification.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “high-flier” mean?
Anything above the common order. Apt students, fast coaches, and special trains are sufficient instances of the extreme openness of the qualification.
Is “high-flier” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.