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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.
Synonyms
Examples of flair in a Sentence
Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025
In sync with the company’s aesthetic, the interior concept blends sophisticated, essential lines with a retro flair.
—Sandra Salibian, WWD, 7 Feb. 2025
The It girl brings a sporty flair to her indie sleaze, party girl image with frames from a variety of luxe designers.
—Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 5 Feb. 2025
December’s contract extension announcement naturally came with some social media flair, as is often the case with Casparij.
—Jessy Parker Humphreys, The Athletic, 5 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for flair 
Dictionary Entries Near flair
Cite this Entry
“Flair.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flair. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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flair
noun
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