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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
Forbes Travel Guide, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
With Jakucionis, at 19, there is the youthful flair.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 26 Jan. 2026
The actress announced the premiere date for Elle wearing a luxe-looking cream sweater, putting a mature spin on the iconic character’s signature flash and flair.
—Taylor Jean Stephan, PEOPLE, 26 Jan. 2026
By differently, Stephens means adding a distinctive Birmingham flair.
—Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 25 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 28 Jan. 2026.
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flair
noun
