flank

1 of 2

noun

ˈflaŋk 

1

a

: the fleshy part of the side between the ribs and the hip

broadly : the side of a quadruped

She gently patted the horse's flank.

b

: a cut of meat from this part of an animal see beef illustration

2

a

: side

the eastern flank of a volcano

b

: the right or left of a formation

attacked the enemy on both flanks

3

: the area along either side of a heraldic shield

flank

2 of 2

verb

flanked; flanking; flanks

transitive verb

1

a

: to be situated at the side of

especially : to be situated on both sides of

a road flanked with linden trees

b

: to place something on each side of

a design that flanks the door with windows

2

: to protect a flank of

3

: to attack or threaten the flank of (as a body of troops)

Synonyms of flank

Noun

• side

Verb

• join
• adjoin
• surround
• touch
• neighbor

Examples of flank in a Sentence

Noun

She gently patted the horse's flank.

They attacked the enemy on both flanks.

the eastern flank of a volcano

Verb

the guards flank the center on a football team's offensive line

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In the minutes, hours and days following Saturday’s interrupted White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, Americans were inundated by falsehoods and conspiracy theories from nearly every flank. —Jane Lytvynenko, NBC news, 3 May 2026

The company had a landmark headquarters building on the northern flank of Miami International Airport, and many of its employees lived nearby in Miami Springs and Virginia Gardens. —Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 2 May 2026

Verb

The layers of screens here — from every attending seemingly experiencing the concert through the back-facing camera on their phone to the LED projections flanking Eilish at all times — can be as headache-inducing as the reality of any concert. —Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 7 May 2026

Artists include bygone, established and emerging ones such as Argentine painter and designer Leonor Fini, who died in 1997, flanked by living names Cecilia Granara, Yves Scherer, Chiara Capellini and Sedef Gali. —Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 7 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Old French flanc, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German hlanca loin, flank — more at lank

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing flank

• flank steak

Rhymes for flank

• banc
• bank
• blank
• clank
• crank
• dank
• drank
• franc
• hank
• lank
• plank
• prank

Kids Definition

flank

1 of 2 noun

ˈflaŋk 

1

a

: the fleshy part of the side between the ribs and the hip

b

: a cut of meat from this part of an animal

2

a

: side entry 1 sense 2

b

: the right or left of a military formation

flank

2 of 2 verb

1

: to be located at the side of : border

2

: to protect a flank of

3

: to attack or threaten the flank of (as a body of troops)

Medical Definition

flank

noun

ˈflaŋk 

: the fleshy part of the side between the ribs and the hip

broadly : the side of a quadruped