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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
Justin Ray, New York Times, 17 May 2025
The Better Homes & Gardens Stripe Chambray Quilt from our collection at Walmart will keep you cool all summer long while adding a dose of coastal grandma flair to your home.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 May 2025
The current flair up between India and Pakistan has ramifications far beyond Kashmir.
—Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
Over 50 Indigenous designers took part in the weekend, each one debuting avant-garde creations with a poignant cultural flair.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 13 May 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 21 May. 2025.
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flair
noun
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