flair

American  

[flair] / flɛər /

noun

1. a natural talent, aptitude, or ability; bent; knack.

   a flair for rhyming.

2. smartness of style, manner, etc..

   Their window display has absolutely no flair at all.

   Synonyms:

   pizazz, oomph, verve, panache, dash, chic

3. keen, intuitive perception or discernment.

   We want a casting director with a real flair for finding dramatic talent.

4. Hunting. scent; sense of smell.

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flair ¹ British  

/ flɛə /

noun

1. natural ability; talent; aptitude

2. instinctive discernment; perceptiveness

3. stylishness or elegance; dash

   to dress with flair

4. rare hunting

   1. the scent left by quarry

   2. the sense of smell of a hound

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flair ² British  

/ flIr /

noun

1. a Scot word for floor

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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.

Example Sentences

Sokolov’s eye for visual flair brings some much-needed panache to this well-worn formula, but even his playful directorial spirit isn’t enough to shake the feeling that one has seen this film before.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026

The couple have had the chance to add some of their own flair to the room in the form of artwork that is mounted on the wall, and a few vases and plants.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 24, 2026

The result, the author concludes, “is in many ways a blend of prose and poetry. He writes with a lyrical flair that entices the reader to read aloud and almost sing the story being told.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026

The Latin teams play with more flair, which is great.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026

“Said Fred and George have got a real flair for business.”

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

Related Words

• ability
• aptitude
• elegance
• genius
• gift
• glamour
• knack
• mastery
• taste