fluke

¹ American  

[flook] / fluk /

noun

1. any of several American flounders of the genus Paralichthys, especially P. dentatus, found in the Atlantic Ocean.

2. any of various other flatfishes.

3. a trematode.

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fluke ² American  

[flook] / fluk /

noun

1. the part of an anchor that catches in the ground, especially the flat triangular piece at the end of each arm.

2. a barb, or the barbed head, of a harpoon, spear, arrow, or the like.

3. either half of the triangular tail of a whale.

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fluke ³ American  

[flook] / fluk /

noun

1. an accidental advantage; stroke of good luck.

   He got the job by a fluke.

2. an accident or chance happening.

3. an accidentally successful stroke, as in billiards.

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fluke ¹ British  

/ fluːk /

noun

1. any parasitic flatworm, such as the blood fluke and liver fluke, of the classes Monogenea and Digenea (formerly united in a single class Trematoda )

2. another name for flounder 2

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fluke ² British  

/ fluːk /

noun

1. Also called: flue.  a flat bladelike projection at the end of the arm of an anchor

2. either of the two lobes of the tail of a whale or related animal

3. Also called: flue.  the barb or barbed head of a harpoon, arrow, etc

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fluke ³ British  

/ fluːk /

noun

1. an accidental stroke of luck

2. any chance happening

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verb

1. (tr) to gain, make, or hit by a fluke

fluke Scientific  

/ flo̅o̅k /

1. Either of the two flattened fins of a whale's tail.

2. See trematode

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Other Word Forms

• flukeless adjective

Etymology

Origin of fluke¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English flok, fluke, flewke, Old English flōc; cognate with Old Norse flōki; compare Old High German flah “flat” ( German flach )

Origin of fluke¹

First recorded in 1555–65; perhaps special use of fluke ³

Origin of fluke¹

First recorded in 1855–60; of obscure origin; compare English dialect fluke “a guess”

Example Sentences

“Maybe it’s the beginning of a breakout, or maybe it’s a fluke,” Yun said.

From MarketWatch

But even this highly capable bot made one mistake - breaking a wine glass on its first attempt, which appears to have been a bad fluke.

From BBC

Maybe this can be a fluke one-year plunge to the bottom and the climb back up can begin, aided by coaches who recognize their job is to teach lessons in basketball, life and college preparation.

From Los Angeles Times

For “The Tail,” Kent portrays a whale’s flukes above a mild sea.

From The Wall Street Journal

"Our data is based on 300 galaxies. The statistical significance is roughly one-in-a-trillion chance of being a fluke. So, I strongly feel that already our research is very, very significant."

From BBC

Related Words

• blessing
• quirk