flâneur

American  

[flah-nur, flah-nœr] / flɑˈnɜr, flɑˈnœr /

noun

French.

flâneurs plural

1. a person who lounges or strolls around in a seemingly aimless way; an idler or loafer.

   the flâneur, that cool, aloof observer of urban society.

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flâneur British  

/ flɑnœr /

noun

1. an idler or loafer

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• flâneurs
  plural

Etymology

Origin of flâneur

First recorded in 1850–55; from French: literally, “loafer, idler, man about town,” equivalent to flân-, stem of flâner “to waste time” + -eur ( def. ); cf. flânerie ( def. )

Example Sentences

Their work has been seen as reflecting their vastly different personas—Manet the dashing, witty, impetuous flâneur; Morisot the reserved, intelligent and exceedingly decorous bourgeoise—through the lens of their separate worlds.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 25, 2025

A man like Rivera — just look at him — wasn’t about to sit on the sidelines like some wasted flâneur.

From Washington Post • Aug. 25, 2022

The book revives the persona of the downtown flâneur — it’s full of nods to New York landmarks — and reading it feels like wandering around the pre-pandemic metropolis we ache to get back to.

From New York Times • Apr. 15, 2021

The images in “Blind Spot,” paired together, form a travelogue of a global flâneur, as Cole strolls through Tivoli, Brooklyn and Brazzaville, his camera capturing glimpses and fleeting impressions.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 15, 2017

"I don't care how many there are of either," said the flâneur; "but I know this—another book's badly wanted."

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 153, September 5, 1917 by Various