English Reference
noun

flair

n.
US /ˈfɫɛɹ/ UK /flˈeə/ flair UK spelling flairs

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    a natural ability to do something well without much effort.

    an innate talent or aptitude for a particular activity or field.

    Simple

    She has a real flair for languages and can speak four fluently.

    In context

    The young designer demonstrated a remarkable flair for combining traditional textiles with modern silhouettes, earning her a scholarship to the academy.

    inabilityclumsiness
  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    a stylish or impressive way of doing something.

    a distinctive and stylish elegance in performance or appearance.

    Simple

    He served the meal with great flair, making the dinner feel special.

    In context

    The architect approached the renovation with creative flair, managing to preserve the building's history while introducing bold, contemporary elements.

    stylepanachedash
    dullness
  3. 03 C2 Proficiency Archaic

    the ability to smell things.

    the sense of smell or a specific odor.

    Simple

    The hound used its keen flair to track the fox through the woods.

    In context

    In the old texts, the poet describes the flair of the blooming jasmine as it drifted through the open window at dusk.

He gave Ballard a tough time, fought him physically.” There is indubitable flair and talent in the 22-year-old – the first Brazilian to play for Ipswich.

The Guardian· 22 Aug 2026

There were flashes of his flair but he was clearly still pretty raw.

The Guardian· 6 Aug 2026

From Middle English flayre, from Old French flair (“scent, odour”), from flairier (“to reek, smell”), from Latin flāgrō, dissimilated variation of frāgrō (“emit a sweet smell”, verb). More at fragrant.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin flāgrō
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated