paraglide

To paraglide is to fly through the air using a light, parachute-like wing, usually after running from a hill or mountain slope. Unlike skydiving, you do not jump from a plane. You take off from the ground and use wind and rising warm air to stay up and move smoothly through the sky. People often paraglide in places with hills, mountains, or sea cliffs, where the air can help carry them.

To paraglide means to travel through the air with a soft, specially designed wing that fills with air and carries the pilot forward. A person usually starts by running from a slope, then lets the wing lift them into the air. From there, they steer by shifting weight and using control lines, while wind, ridge lift, or warm rising air help them stay up longer. In everyday use, the word usually refers to the activity itself: "They planned to paraglide over the valley at sunset."

The word is closely related to "paragliding," which names the sport, but "paraglide" is the action word. It is most often used as a verb, though in some contexts people may use it more loosely when talking about a flight or the equipment. The idea behind the word is not simply falling with a parachute. It suggests a longer, more controlled kind of flight, often quiet and scenic, with the pilot soaring rather than dropping quickly.

You might see it in travel writing, sports stories, or casual conversation: someone might paraglide above a beach, over a mountain valley, or along a coastal cliff. The word often carries a feeling of freedom, adventure, and calm control in the air. In short, to paraglide is to launch from land and glide high above the ground with a wing designed for this kind of flight.