flirtation

American  

[flur-tey-shuhn] / flɜrˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act or practice of flirting; coquetry.

2. a love affair that is not serious.

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flirtation British  

/ flɜːˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. behaviour intended to arouse sexual feelings or advances without emotional commitment; coquetry

2. any casual involvement without commitment

   a flirtation with journalism

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Other Word Forms

• flirtational adjective
• flirtationless adjective

Etymology

Origin of flirtation

First recorded in 1710–20; flirt + -ation

Example Sentences

Jefferson carried on the flirtation following his emotional entanglement with Maria Cosway, a married artist and close friend of Angelica’s in London.

From The Wall Street Journal

Clearly, Mr. Carlson’s flirtation with Mr. Fuentes threatens to make the symptom contagious.

From The Wall Street Journal

Leveler heads, though, should caution against viewing Allura or Kardashian as aspirational examples, even if the latter legitimately followed her highly publicized flirtation with justice reform by seriously studying the law.

From Salon

After what Prunella described as "a mild Times crossword and Polo mints flirtation", they got together, and married in 1963.

From BBC

But beneath the cute and fun is this flirtation with the spiritual — albeit the dark side of the spiritual — that abides talk of ghosts, spirits and hauntings.

From Salon

Related Words

• dalliance
• flirting
• toying