flèche

[ fleysh; French flesh ]

/ fleɪʃ; French flɛʃ /

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noun, plural flè·ches

[fley-shiz; French flesh]. /ˈfleɪ ʃɪz; French flɛʃ/.

Architecture. a steeple or spire, especially one in the Gothic style, emerging from the ridge of a roof.

Fortification. a fieldwork consisting of two faces forming a salient angle with an open gorge.

Fencing. a method of attack with saber or épée in which the attacker leaves from the rear foot and advances rapidly toward the opponent.

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Origin of flèche

1700–10; <French: literally, arrow, probably <Germanic. Cf. fly²

Words nearby flèche

flea-flicker, fleam, flea market, fleapit, fleawort, flèche, flèches d'amour, fléchette, fleck, Flecker, flection

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use flèche in a sentence

Half way up there seemed to be stretched a par-fleche (raw-hide), from which a dim light emanated.
Old Indian Days|[AKA Ohiyesa], Charles A. Eastman
Conceive that they have enabled me to seize La Fleche, the most dangerous, insidious and skilful of all Napoleon's agents.
The Snare|Rafael Sabatini
He had a priest with him, one La Fleche, whom he urged to the pious work.
Pioneers Of France In The New World|Francis Parkman, Jr.
Just as they neared La Fleche, a squadron of the enemy's cavalry fell upon the rear of the column.
No Surrender!|G. A. Henty

It was a strongly-built square redoubt, the entrance being protected by a fleche.
Travels Through North America, v. 1-2|Berhard Saxe-Weimar Eisenach

British Dictionary definitions for flèche

flèche

/ (fleɪʃ, flɛʃ) /

noun

Also called: spirelet a slender spire, esp over the intersection of the nave and transept ridges of a church roof

a pointed part of a fortification directed towards the attackers

fencing a short running attack

Word Origin for flèche

C18: from French: spire (literally: arrow), probably of Germanic origin; related to Middle Low German flieke long arrow

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012