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In the 14th century, if someone told you that you had flair (or flayre as it was then commonly spelled), you might very well take offense. This is because in Middle English flayre meant "an odor." The word is derived from the Old French verb flairier ("to give off an odor"), which came, in turn, from Late Latin flagrare, itself an alteration of fragrare. (The English words fragrant and fragrance also derive from fragrare.) The "odor" sense of flair fell out of use, but in the 19th century, English speakers once again borrowed flair from the French—this time (influenced by the Modern French use of the word for the sense of smell) to indicate a discriminating sense or instinctive discernment.
Examples of flair in a Sentence
Anna Rinderspacher, Glamour, 20 May 2026
The detail echoes Blahnik’s distinct flair for fusing jewelry with footwear, which is a style choice that connects both designers.
—Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 19 May 2026
On her wedding day, Jarman diverged from the classic white wedding dress, instead opting for a baby blue gown with a bohemian flair.
—Laura Scafati, Vanity Fair, 19 May 2026
Small beads on the outside rims add a touch of flair to keep them from seeming simple.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for flair
Cite this Entry
“Flair.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flair. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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flair
noun
