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In the 14th century, if someone told you that you had flair (or flayre as it was then commonly spelled), you might very well take offense. This is because in Middle English flayre meant "an odor." The word is derived from the Old French verb flairier ("to give off an odor"), which came, in turn, from Late Latin flagrare, itself an alteration of fragrare. (The English words fragrant and fragrance also derive from fragrare.) The "odor" sense of flair fell out of use, but in the 19th century, English speakers once again borrowed flair from the French—this time (influenced by the Modern French use of the word for the sense of smell) to indicate a discriminating sense or instinctive discernment.
Examples of flair in a Sentence
Caroline Tell, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
This elbow-sleeve sweater jacket has a relaxed fit that’s a no-brainer for draping over staple tees and tanks with a preppy flair.
—Clint Davis, People.com, 6 Apr. 2025
Though the fictional narrative of Olivia Pope relies on dramatic flair, in real life crisis management experts achieve similar results through careful planning, meticulous strategy, and quiet professionalism, all without attracting unnecessary attention.
—Ethan Stone, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
Van’s plane is slightly different, with a pop-culture flair, and this time, young Van and old Van watch the movie of her death on a projection screen and ponder what comes next.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flair
Cite this Entry
“Flair.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flair. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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flair
noun
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