flapper

noun

flap·​per ˈfla-pər How to pronounce flapper (audio)
1
a
: something used in flapping or striking
b
: one that flaps
2
: a young woman
specifically : a young woman of the period of World War I and the following decade who showed freedom from conventions (as in conduct)

Examples of flapper in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Video From The New Yorker Dad Can Dance: My Father’s Secret Ballet Career To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Wong shed her flapper costume and assumed a new air of European sophistication. Mayukh Sen, The New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2023 Jackson posted a photo of Kaleb posing in a pinstripe suit and a fedora hat alongside his sister Kori, who wore a flapper costume. Ariana Quihuiz, Peoplemag, 21 Aug. 2023 Maggy London Illusion Yoke Crepe Cocktail Dress Get the Look Josephine Baker A stylish twist on the flapper costume (and infinitely more wearable than bananas), channel Josephine Baker with a dramatic 1920s gown and a pearl bracelet. Olivia Hosken, Town & Country, 16 Aug. 2023 Although in the 1920s flappers largely wore their frocks with bare legs or alluring fishnets, most women favored standard stockings. Laia Garcia-Furtado, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2023 This V-neck stunner brings back the charm of the flapper era, combined with a modern bodycon touch. Mia Meltzer, Rolling Stone, 25 Oct. 2023 The Color Purple There is an enviable red flapper look worn by Shug in Steven Spielberg’s film The Color Purple based on Alice Walker’s 1982 novel. Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 17 Oct. 2023 Their big moment comes at the end of the Apple TV+ musical comedy’s season premiere, when Cameron’s Jenny Banks, a livewire starlet with a jet-black flapper’s bob and a seductive stare, drags an unassuming wooden chair across the dimly lit stage of the Kratt Klubb. Hunter Ingram, Variety, 6 Apr. 2023 At the time, Knowles posted a special tribute to Jenner on Instagram, along with a photo of the duo posing together in their flapper looks. Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 3 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flapper.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of flapper was circa 1570

Dictionary Entries Near flapper

Cite this Entry

“Flapper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flapper. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.

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