ENGLISH
REFERENCE

flourish

n. countable
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ˈfɫɝɪʃ// UK //flˈʌɹɪʃ// flour·ish Archaic

n. a bold or fancy detail that you add to something to make it look or sound more impressive. It can be a decorative curve in your handwriting or a dramatic movement when you finish a performance.

n. an ornamental or decorative feature added to an object, piece of writing, or performance to enhance its aesthetic appeal. Often used to describe a bold, sweeping gesture or a musical fanfare.


SIMPLE

He signed his name with a fancy flourish at the end.

CONTEXTUAL

The architect added a decorative flourish to the top of the columns to match the building's classical style.

COMPLEX

The pianist concluded the concerto with a dramatic flourish of notes that left the audience in stunned silence before the applause began.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English floryschen, from Old French florir (via the arrhizotonic stem floriss-), from Late Latin flōrīre, from Latin flōrēre, from Latin flōrem (“flower”, noun). Corresponds to flower + -ish.

Usage

Commonly takes the preposition 'of' when describing the specific action or detail, such as a 'flourish of trumpets' or a 'flourish of the pen'.

© 2026 English Reference