flapper

noun

flap·​per ˈfla-pər 

1

a

: something used in flapping or striking

b

: one that flaps

c

: flipper sense 1

2

: a young woman predominantly of the 1910s and 1920s who showed freedom from conventions (as in style of dress and conduct)

Examples of flapper in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Opt for a flapper-esque dress that has a drop waist or is knee-length, and modernize it by wearing it over a pair of chic culottes. —Emma Anderson, Refinery29, 11 Dec. 2025

Roaring 2020s Beaded fringe, shift dresses, all-over embellishments—this season found one of its most popular muses in the flapper. —Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 10 Dec. 2025

Blazy’s flapper dresses and feathery skirts are the rare contemporary garments that move with the light-catching excitement that Coco and brand rival Jean Patou’s designs of the 1920s intended, when illumination and motion were truly sexy thrills. —Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 3 Dec. 2025

Though the dress initially skipped a generation, as Mary's daughter opted for a 1920s flapper-style gown instead, the tradition officially began in 1946, when Mary's granddaughter, Jane Woodruff, wore it. —Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 1 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for flapper

• capper
• clapper
• dapper
• kapur
• mapper
• napper
• rapper
• sapper
• snapper
• tapper
• trapper
• wrapper