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red-eye

(countable, uncountable, photography) Redness in the eye(s) of someone in a colour photograph, as an unwanted consequence of light from a flash reflecting off blood vessels in the retina.

ˈɹɛdaɪCurrent157 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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Australia
#1·Apr 27, 2026AUS

(countable, uncountable, photography) Redness in the eye(s) of someone in a colour photograph, as an unwanted consequence of light from a flash reflecting off blood vessels in the retina.

He delighted in flying first class to New York on a red-eye and then putting in a full day's work. He functioned on pure adrenaline, often working twenty-hour days.
Heard in the wild
  • “From the far-end to baggage claim is insane. They should have created an underground dog-leg, or put in more moving walkways. It's brutal after a red-eye.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
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Australia
#2·Apr 27, 2026AUS

(countable, US, aviation, travel, colloquial, also, attributively) An overnight airplane flight or train trip.

Origin: The is derived from ; sense 2.3 (“strong but poor-quality whiskey”) and sense 3 (“overnight airplane flight”) are probably so named because they may cause people to develop bloodshot eyes. The is derived from the noun. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents

Red-eye means: An overnight airplane flight or train trip.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up. For most families this word will pass by without incident; it is more a vocabulary curiosity than a parenting concern.

For ESL learners

red-eye means: An overnight airplane flight or train trip.. Register: neutral, standard English. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself. A formal-English equivalent (a synonym or descriptive phrase) is usually safer in writing. When in doubt, paraphrase rather than reuse the slang form.

Cluster: partying
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Australia
#3·Apr 27, 2026AUS

(countable, uncountable, medicine) Redness of the conjunctiva; especially when caused by conjunctivitis (pink-eye).

The red-eye back to San Francisco was only about half full. Michael had a window seat and Willy stretched his six-foot-three inch frame out into the aisle as they waited for take-off.
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