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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
Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 11 Oct. 2025
The dining car turns out fine delicacies with Italian flair, while the lounge car hops with finger-snapping tunes by a piano, saxophone, clarinet trio.
—Eleanor Flagler Hardy, Travel + Leisure, 11 Oct. 2025
Boutique Jack-O’-Lanterns Door Mat Add fall flair to doorways with this coir mat that has an inviting pumpkin design.
—Ali Faccenda, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
Adding fun, unexpected touches, like three oversized bows down the front, instantly gives the classic piece more flair and ups the style.
—Gabriela Izquierdo, Southern Living, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flair
Cite this Entry
“Flair.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flair. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
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flair
noun
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