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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
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 May 2026
Your 11th House of Friends hums as nurturing Moon opposes edgy Chiron in your 5th House of Creativity, asking balance between group plans and personal flair.
—Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 May 2026
This has become something of a signature for the guy who’s brought wild vocal flair to everything from The Devil All the Time to Mickey 17 to Good Time.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 27 May 2026
Architect Louis Faure-Dujarric used the Saint Andrew’s cross design to help keep costs down while offering the site some architectural flair.
—Tim Newcomb, Forbes.com, 26 May 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 2 Jun. 2026.
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flair
noun
