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.
Feldstein Soto’s messaging was at times muddled and lacked the flair of her challengers, political observers said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026
For a little extra flair toast some baguette wedges to dip into the savory mixture.
From Salon • May 22, 2026
In the weeks leading to Thursday's curtain call, 62-year-old Colbert has at times cut a subdued figure, lacking some of his usual cheerful flair.
From Barron's • May 21, 2026
A new-look back three of full-back Pauline Barrat and wings Anais Grando and Lea Murie have only 18 caps between them, but bags of pace and flair.
From BBC • May 16, 2026
Chandresh has an inherent flair for the unusual and curious; he understands the power of atmosphere.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
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.
