fluent

adjective

flu·​ent ˈflü-ənt 

1

a

: capable of flowing : fluid

powdered, granular, or fluent materials

b

: capable of moving with ease and grace

the fluent body of a dancer

2

a

: capable of using a language easily and accurately

fluent in Spanish

a fluent writer

b

: effortlessly smooth and flowing

a fluent performance

spoke in fluent English

c

: having or showing mastery of a subject or skill

fluent in math

fluently adverb

Synonyms

• articulate
• eloquent
• silver-tongued
• well-spoken

Examples of fluent in a Sentence

a fluent speaker of Chinese

a very fluent speaker who always communicates his points well

Recent Examples on the Web

Baldwin was fluent in the language of bourgeois respectability and dressed the part when the occasion called for it. —Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025

Musical literacy is a highly specialized skill; to become a fluent reader of music, a student needs to be given the kind of focused instruction that not all public schools have the funding to provide. —Matthew Aucoin, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2025

In the past, being a great software engineer might have meant being fluent in Java, writing elegant Python code or knowing the ins and outs of the latest frameworks. —Drew Naukam, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025

The siblings, who grew up immersed in Thailand’s entertainment industry and are fluent in both Thai and English, are expected to drop new material in the latter half of 2025. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 24 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin fluent-, fluens, present participle of fluere — more at fluid

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for fluent

• suant
• truant
• confluent
• diluent
• eluent
• pursuant

Kids Definition

fluent

adjective

flu·​ent ˈflü-ənt 

1

: fluid entry 1 sense 1a

2

a

: able to speak easily and smoothly

fluent in Spanish

b

: done in a smooth easy way

fluently adverb

Etymology

from Latin fluent-, fluens, present participle of fluere "to flow" — related to fluid