fluke

¹

[flook]

noun

1. the part of an anchor that catches in the ground, especially the flat triangular piece at the end of each arm.

2. a barb, or the barbed head, of a harpoon, spear, arrow, or the like.

3. either half of the triangular tail of a whale.

fluke

²

[flook]

noun

1. an accidental advantage; stroke of good luck.

   He got the job by a fluke.

2. an accident or chance happening.

3. an accidentally successful stroke, as in billiards.

fluke

³

[flook]

noun

1. any of several American flounders of the genus Paralichthys, especially P. dentatus, found in the Atlantic Ocean.

2. any of various other flatfishes.

3. a trematode.

fluke

¹

/ fluːk /

noun

1. Also called: flue. a flat bladelike projection at the end of the arm of an anchor

2. either of the two lobes of the tail of a whale or related animal

3. Also called: flue. the barb or barbed head of a harpoon, arrow, etc

fluke

²

/ fluːk /

noun

1. an accidental stroke of luck

2. any chance happening

verb

1. (tr) to gain, make, or hit by a fluke

fluke

³

/ fluːk /

noun

1. any parasitic flatworm, such as the blood fluke and liver fluke, of the classes Monogenea and Digenea (formerly united in a single class Trematoda )

2. another name for flounder 2

fluke

1. Either of the two flattened fins of a whale's tail.

2. See trematode

Other Word Forms

• flukeless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fluke¹

First recorded in 1555–65; perhaps special use of fluke ³

Origin of fluke²

First recorded in 1855–60; of obscure origin; compare English dialect fluke “a guess”

Origin of fluke³

First recorded before 900; Middle English flok, fluke, flewke, Old English flōc; cognate with Old Norse flōki; compare Old High German flah “flat” ( German flach )

Word History and Origins

Origin of fluke¹

C16: perhaps a special use of _fluke ³ (in the sense: a flounder)

Origin of fluke²

C19: of unknown origin

Origin of fluke³

Old English flōc ; related to Old Norse flōki flounder, Old Saxon flaka sole, Old High German flah smooth

Example Sentences

Prepare for the bandwagon effect when people realize his gift for sticking close to receivers and start figuring out he’s no fluke.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

We thought last year could have been a bit of a fluke with Forest, but he was the driving force against Brentford.

Read more on BBC

Through a series of legal and legislative flukes, the Texas maps then in use dated back to 1990, and they favored what had been a Democratic majority that had since moved decisively Republican.

Read more on Salon

This is an extreme kind of worst-case scenario fluke occurrence that could happen.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

So it is not a fluke that he is able to play all these games.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• blessing 
• quirk