Montreal is a city noted for its … European flair—Bruce Minorgan
Did you know?
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.
a restaurant with a European flair
a person with a flair for making friends quickly
Recent Examples on the WebMoore infuses his curation with an editorial flair honed through years of styling and fashion writing.—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 18 Mar. 2024 The two Tennessee icons have joined forces to create a legendary cast iron collection pairing the heirloom-quality of Lodge with Dolly’s trademark flair.—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2024 The common thread in Lazy Bear’s changing tasting menus is bold flavors presented with flair, says the Michelin Guide.—Jenna Anderson, Sunset Magazine, 13 Mar. 2024 The nine bakeries on this list exemplify this movement, imbuing their work with an unmistakable flair and sense of personality.—The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appétit, 13 Mar. 2024 In terms of the shows, DIVE (the name for IVE's fans) can expect elevated performances mixed with IVE's signature flair.—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2024 The result is a film with undeniable flair that’s nevertheless too unfocused to appreciate.—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2024 Prebble recounted the story with flair—an off-the-page skill that doesn’t always come naturally to writers.—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024 Angel's Trumpet Ale House: Airy gastropub featuring comfort food made with flair and a big menu of craft beer.—The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flair.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
French, literally, sense of smell, from Old French, odor, from flairier to give off an odor, from Late Latin flagrare, alteration of Latin fragrare
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