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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
Beck Andrew Salgado, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
The rainbow leopard print was love at first sight, and the fluttery frill sleeves add just enough flair.
—Emily Glover, Parents, 29 July 2025
In a Wednesday Instagram post, Schlossberg slammed Republicans' proposal to put a Trump flair on his grandfather's memorial, highlighting a potentially conflicting federal law that dictates how the Kennedy Center should operate.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 24 July 2025
All of them are absolutely terrific, but the clear stand-out, now and before, is Rockwell, who invests his portrayal with the same flair and precision evident in his live-action performances.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 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 1 Aug. 2025.
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flair
noun
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