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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
Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 29 Apr. 2026
The life of a music director at a major opera company is inevitably one engaged in tragedy, and Conlon exhibits the dramatic flair to grip its emotional immensity.
—Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
Each Burg & Barrel location has its own flair and style, but the menu is all the same.
—Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2026
Style it with some favorite throw pillows to add some decorative flair.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 28 Apr. 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 2 May. 2026.
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flair
noun
