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In the 14th century, if someone told you that you had flair (or flayre as it was then commonly spelled), you might very well take offense. This is because in Middle English flayre meant "an odor." The word is derived from the Old French verb flairier ("to give off an odor"), which came, in turn, from Late Latin flagrare, itself an alteration of fragrare. (The English words fragrant and fragrance also derive from fragrare.) The "odor" sense of flair fell out of use, but in the 19th century, English speakers once again borrowed flair from the French—this time (influenced by the Modern French use of the word for the sense of smell) to indicate a discriminating sense or instinctive discernment.
Examples of flair in a Sentence
Averi Baudler, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
While a few stars wore this look, each added their own flair, from oversized kiss curls to tousled styling.
—Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 11 Jan. 2026
Even if players are allowed to show more flair beyond formal and business casual styles, some will stick with what’s worked for them.
—Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Hawks defensemen showed their shooting flair against the Blues.
—Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flair
Cite this Entry
“Flair.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flair. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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flair
noun
