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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
Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 10 June 2026
As for whether Smirnoff-Skyy's flair might give some buyers cold feet, listing agent Adelaida Mejia of Vanguard Properties isn't losing any sleep over it.
—Itay Hod, CBS News, 9 June 2026
It’s made from iron, has an antique-looking bronze finish, and is designed with a cut-out floral pattern for a touch of flair.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 9 June 2026
In the wake of the song’s initial release, debate ensued regarding which artists had the superior performance on the song, despite both insisting that their approach was devoid of any competitive flair and was geared toward its theme and production.
—Preezy Brown, Rolling Stone, 9 June 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 15 Jun. 2026.
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flair
noun
