flapper

American  

[flap-er] / ˈflæp ər /

noun

1. something broad and flat used for striking or for making a noise by striking.

2. a broad, flat, hinged or hanging piece; flap.

3. a young woman, especially one who, during the 1920s, behaved and dressed in a boldly unconventional manner.

4. a young bird just learning to fly.

5. Slang. the hand.

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flapper British  

/ ˈflæpə /

noun

1. a person or thing that flaps

2. (in the 1920s) a young woman, esp one flaunting her unconventional dress and behaviour

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Other Word Forms

• flapperdom noun
• flapperish adjective
• flapperism noun

Etymology

Origin of flapper

First recorded in 1560–70; flap + -er ¹

Explanation

A flapper was a certain type of woman in the United States in the 1920's. Flappers were known for their unconventional style and behavior. In the United States in the 1920s, a certain kind of woman emerged: the flapper. Flappers had their own hairstyles and ways of dressing, especially bobbed hair and short skirts. They liked to listen to jazz and generally embraced freedom from social conventions. None of this was considered "ladylike" at the time: it was new and shocking. Flappers were a sign of changing times and more freedom for women to express themselves. There's no doubt the flappers had a lot of style.

Example Sentences

Dagwood Bumstead was the scion of a rich family that disowned him when he married Blondie, a flapper — forcing him to take an office job under the irascible J.C.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 30, 2025

Sam Gallagher and Yash Thakkar, both English majors, dub her Jordan—after the flapper and semipro golfer in “The Great Gatsby”—when they learn that she gave up a golf scholarship her freshman year.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 9, 2025

Nicks strolled in later, fresh from her stint at Clementine’s and still donning her flapper costume.

From Salon • Sep. 19, 2025

Underneath, dresses of scalloped sequins and draped fringe recall flapper looks with contemporary discipline.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 24, 2024

Grandma Smith was a West Texas flapper who loved dancing and cussing and horses.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls

Related Words

• branch
• rod
• wing