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

Teams are targeting the champions down their right side, channelling more of their attacks onto that flank. —Liam Tharme, New York Times, 12 Dec. 2025

Kentucky Camp sits amid the grasslands that cloak the eastern flanks of the Santa Rita Mountains northwest of Sonoita. —Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 12 Dec. 2025

Verb

Mesquite shrublands flank the highways, and saplings grow out of sidewalks, their sage, fern-like leaves softening the landscape. —Von Diaz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 Dec. 2025

The two freestanding units are flanked by wholesale activations in the region, with Stone Island shops-in-shop bowing at Holt Renfrew inside Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Center and at Saks Fifth Avenue, spanning 460 and 300 square feet, respectively. —Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 11 Dec. 2025

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