fluent

adjective

flu·​ent ˈflü-ənt How to pronounce fluent (audio)
1
a
: capable of flowing : fluid
powered, granular, or fluent materials
b
: capable of moving with ease and grace
the fluent body of a dancer
2
a
: capable of using a language easily and accurately
fluent in Spanish
a fluent writer
b
: effortlessly smooth and flowing
a fluent performance
spoke in fluent English
c
: having or showing mastery of a subject or skill
fluent in math
fluently adverb

Examples of fluent in a Sentence

a fluent speaker of Chinese a very fluent speaker who always communicates his points well
Recent Examples on the Web Some are fluent in Spanish, Korean, Tagalog or Japanese. Rebecca Plevin, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Born in Upstate New York and raised in Plymouth, Minn., the Air Force Academy graduate is fluent in Arabic, has seven Air Medals, and flew 900 combat hours over Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. Joe Davidson, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024 None of the officers who came were fluent in Spanish. Ryan Oehrli, Charlotte Observer, 5 Mar. 2024 Fatehi’s background and versatility, along with being fluent in multiple languages, means she won’t be limited to the vast market of her home base. Marc Schneider, Billboard, 26 Feb. 2024 My great-grandma Lily, the one that I’m named after, was a fluent speaker. Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2024 Dyslexia, a neurobiological disorder characterized by difficulties with accurate and fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities, strikes as many as one in five people. Ray Ravaglia, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 Marshall is a fluent signer and professional interpreter. Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2024 Accompanied by experienced translators fluent in their language, patients find themselves in the care of not just dentists but compassionate allies. Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fluent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin fluent-, fluens, present participle of fluere — more at fluid

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of fluent was in 1585

Dictionary Entries Near fluent

Cite this Entry

“Fluent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fluent. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

fluent

adjective
flu·​ent ˈflü-ənt How to pronounce fluent (audio)
1
2
a
: able to speak easily and smoothly
fluent in Spanish
b
: done in a smooth easy way
fluently adverb
Etymology

from Latin fluent-, fluens, present participle of fluere "to flow" — related to fluid

More from Merriam-Webster on fluent

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