fluke

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈflük 

1

: a stroke of luck

the discovery was a fluke

Her second championship shows that the first one was no mere fluke.

2

: an accidentally successful stroke at billiards or pool

fluke

2 of 3

noun (2)

1

: flatfish

2

: a flattened digenetic trematode worm

broadly : trematode compare liver fluke

fluke

3 of 3

noun (3)

1

: the part of an anchor that fastens in the ground see anchor illustration

2

: one of the lobes of a whale's tail

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• accident
• chance
• luck

Examples of fluke in a Sentence

Noun (1)

the discovery of oil on their property was just an amazing fluke

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

What initially seemed like a fluke has turned into a near-daily crisis, upending life for residents on every floor. —Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025

Mayfield and Tampa Bay have two tough games coming up in the next two weeks against the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions, which will give them the opportunity to prove that their strong start this year is no fluke. —Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025

To test whether this unusual relationship was a fluke or something more complex, researchers separated the Leucothoe limidicola from the file clam. —Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2025

Donato also comes into this season motivated to prove last season’s 31-goal output wasn’t a fluke. —Scott Powers, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

origin unknown

Noun (2)

Middle English floke, fluke, from Old English flōc; akin to Old English flōh chip, Old High German flah smooth, Greek plax flat surface, and probably to Old English flōr floor — more at floor

Noun (3)

perhaps from fluke entry 2

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1857, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

1561, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing fluke

• blood fluke
• liver fluke

Rhymes for fluke

• juke
• kook
• luc
• luke
• nuke
• puke
• souk
• spook
• archduke
• rebuke
• caoutchouc

Kids Definition

fluke

1 of 3 noun

ˈflük 

: any of various trematode flatworms compare liver fluke

fluke

2 of 3 noun

1

: the part of an anchor that digs into the ground

2

: a barbed head (as of a harpoon)

3

: one of the lobes of a whale's tail

fluke

3 of 3 noun

: a stroke of good luck

won by a fluke

fluky

ˈflü-kē

adjective

Medical Definition

fluke

noun

ˈflük 

: a flattened digenetic trematode worm

broadly : trematode see liver fluke