Montreal is a city noted for its … European flair—Bruce Minorgan
Did you know?
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.
a restaurant with a European flair
a person with a flair for making friends quickly
Recent Examples on the WebMovie candy variety pack Snacks will add that extra flair to your evening.—Nora Colomer, Fox News, 22 June 2024 No one combined his magnificent power, dazzling speed, supernatural arm, preternatural intuition and flair for melodrama.—Gary Peterson, The Mercury News, 19 June 2024 From garnishes to main ingredients, learn how to incorporate these botanical delights into your cooking with creativity and flair.—Joe Rassel, Orlando Sentinel, 19 June 2024 Fjallraven Kanken Hip Pack Buy on Amazon $55 $43
NYC is famous for being a melting pot in population and fashion, and the Fjallraven Kanken Hip Pack is a trendy bag that adds a touch of Scandinavian flair to any outfit.—Erica Paige, Travel + Leisure, 18 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for flair
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flair.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
French, literally, sense of smell, from Old French, odor, from flairier to give off an odor, from Late Latin flagrare, alteration of Latin fragrare
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