flounce

1 of 4

verb (1)

flounced; flouncing

intransitive verb

1
a
: to move with exaggerated jerky or bouncy motions
flounced about the room, jerking her shoulders, gesticulatingAgatha Christie
also : to move so as to draw attention to oneself
flounced into the lobby
b
: to go with sudden determination
flounced out in a huff
2

flounce

2 of 4

noun (1)

: an act or instance of flouncing
moved with a flounce

flounce

3 of 4

noun (2)

: a strip of fabric attached by one edge
also : a wide ruffle

flounce

4 of 4

verb (2)

flounced; flouncing

transitive verb

: to trim with flounces

Did you know?

The story behind flounce is an elusive one. The verb's earliest recorded uses in English occurred in the mid-1500s, and some scholars believe it is related to the Norwegian verb flunsa (meaning "to hurry" or "to work briskly") and Swedish flunsa ("to fall with a splash" or "to plunge"). The connection is uncertain, however, because the flunsa verbs did not appear in their respective languages until the 18th century, long after flounce surfaced in English. A second distinct sense of flounce, referring to a strip or ruffle of fabric attached on one edge, did not appear in English until the 18th century. This flounce derives from the Middle English frouncen, meaning "to curl."

Examples of flounce in a Sentence

Noun (2) a prom dress with small flounces along the hem
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Shortly before school started, my 16-year-old came home and flounced her arms dramatically on our kitchen island. Chaunie Brusie, Rn, Bsn, Parents, 4 Sep. 2024 At that moment the doctor came in, the skirts of his coat flouncing. Caleb Crain, The New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2024
Noun
Briseno recommends wearing pieces like A-line skirts adorned with floral patterns, flounce sleeves, which pay homage to traditional Mexican craftsmanship and shirts with Peter Pan collars, which give a charming vintage flair to your look. Nadja Sayej, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024 The constructed piece featured ruched sides and a maxi flounce on each of the sides for a dramatic and transformative silhouette. Ada Tseng, WWD, 24 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for flounce 

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian flunsa to hurry

Verb (2)

alteration of earlier frounce, from Middle English frouncen to curl

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1542, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (1)

1583, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1713, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1711, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of flounce was in 1542

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Dictionary Entries Near flounce

Cite this Entry

“Flounce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flounce. Accessed 4 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

flounce

1 of 4 verb
flounced; flouncing
1
: to move with exaggerated jerky motions
2
: to go with sudden determination
flounced out of the room in anger

flounce

2 of 4 noun
: an act or instance of flouncing

flounce

3 of 4 verb
flounced; flouncing
: to trim with flounces

flounce

4 of 4 noun
: a strip of fabric attached by the upper edge
Etymology

Verb

perhaps of Scandinavian origin

Verb

an altered form of earlier frounce "to trim with ruffles," from Middle English frouncen "to curl"

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