flair
Americannoun
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a natural talent, aptitude, or ability; bent; knack.
a flair for rhyming.
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smartness of style, manner, etc..
Their window display has absolutely no flair at all.
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keen, intuitive perception or discernment.
We want a casting director with a real flair for finding dramatic talent.
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Hunting. scent; sense of smell.
noun
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natural ability; talent; aptitude
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instinctive discernment; perceptiveness
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stylishness or elegance; dash
to dress with flair
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rare hunting
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the scent left by quarry
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the sense of smell of a hound
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noun
Etymology
Origin of flair
First recorded before 1350–1400; Middle English, from French, Old French: “scent,” noun derivative of flairier “to reek,” ultimately from unattested Vulgar Latin flāgrāre, dissimilated variant of Latin frāgrāre; see origin at fragrant
Explanation
Use the word flair to refer to someone’s knack or natural talent for something. Someone might have a flair for throwing fantastic parties, or a flair for solving complex math problems. Something or someone with flair is flashy, catchy and full of energy. But oddly enough, flair meant "odor" when it originated in the mid 14th century. It wasn’t until 1925 that the word came to mean a distinctive talent, elegant style or dashing ability. So maybe think of someone absolutely reeking of style and panache — but in a good way.
Vocabulary lists containing flair
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ticket sales for Air Canada jets flying to Las Vegas have slipped by 33 percent, while the Edmonton-based low-cost carrier Flair has reported a 62 percent drop-off.
From Slate • Nov. 18, 2025
Hogan kept fighting as his fame continued to ride high even as the years marched on - pictured taking on fellow veteran Ric Flair in 2009.
From BBC • Jul. 24, 2025
Hogan, unhappy at the betrayal, grabbed Sid’s arm and pulled him to the ropes, allowing Flair to toss Sid out and win the title.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 26, 2024
You’ve snapped into a Slim Jim because Randy Savage ordered you to, or let out a “Woooo!” at a hockey game like Ric Flair.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 4, 2024
She would come around the corner, chewing on a Flair pen and shuffling, as if wearing slippers.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
