fluke

¹

[ flook ]

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.

fluke

²

[ flook ]

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.

fluke

³

[ flook ]

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.

fluke

¹

/ fluːk /

noun

1. Also calledflue 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 calledflue the barb or barbed head of a harpoon, arrow, etc

fluke

²

/ 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

fluke

³

/ fluːk /

noun

1. an accidental stroke of luck
2. any chance happening

verb

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

fluke

/ flo̅o̅k /

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

Other Words From

• flukeless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fluke¹

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

Origin of fluke²

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

Origin of fluke³

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 )

Word History and Origins

Origin of fluke¹

C16: perhaps a special use of fluke ³ (in the sense: a flounder)

Origin of fluke²

Old English flōc ; related to Old Norse flōki flounder, Old Saxon flaka sole, Old High German flah smooth

Origin of fluke³

C19: of unknown origin

Example Sentences

Still, DoorDash must prove that its growth during the pandemic was no fluke.

From Fortune

In 1989 a meteorological fluke helped Ken Lohmann, a biologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, confirm that hatchlings use waves as a guide.

From Nautilus

These were not flukes, either — San Diego and Chicago finished the season ranked Nos.

From FiveThirtyEight

Republicans think Brindisi’s win was a fluke, and now he has a record they can wield to try to pin him as a standard Democrat.

From Washington Post

For me, that is a lot of similar results for this to be a fluke.

From Vox

In 1989, a newly registered Republican in Louisiana named David Duke won his only election by a fluke.

From The Daily Beast

It was a cheer that we got for something that was a complete fluke.

From The Daily Beast

“Sandra Fluke Aborts Congressional Bid,” read another headline on Breitbart after Fluke opted to run instead for the state Senate.

From The Daily Beast

From the moment the word was out that Fluke was considering a run for office, she was the subject of right-wing side-eye.

From The Daily Beast

Having her as our guest was a fluke of Divine Order and a true example of Ask and You shall receive.

From The Daily Beast

We anchored on the north side of the former, but broke the fluke, from the rocky nature of the bottom.

From Project Gutenberg

(a) Flatworms are sometimes parasitic, examples being the tapeworm and liver fluke.

From Project Gutenberg

Such is seen in the life history of the liver fluke, a flatworm which kills sheep, and in the tapeworm.

From Project Gutenberg

If I thought he meant the boy any harm he'd get his nose rove foul in the shake of a fluke.

From Project Gutenberg

Fluke worms, therefore, can never be regarded as a cause of rot, they must be looked upon merely as a symptom.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• blessing
• quirk