Word
Definition
n. something good that happens by pure luck rather than skill. You use this when a success feels like a total accident.
n. an accidental stroke of good luck; a chance occurrence that results in an unexpectedly positive outcome. Often carries a slightly dismissive tone regarding the subject's skill.
Examples
“Winning the first game was a total fluke.”
“The team's victory was dismissed as a fluke by critics who pointed to the opponent's sudden injuries.”
“While his initial discovery was a complete fluke resulting from a mislabeled sample, his subsequent research proved that the underlying chemical reaction was both consistent and revolutionary.”
Examples
simple
“Winning the first game was a total fluke.”
contextual
“The team's victory was dismissed as a fluke by critics who pointed to the opponent's sudden injuries.”
complex
“While his initial discovery was a complete fluke resulting from a mislabeled sample, his subsequent research proved that the underlying chemical reaction was both consistent and revolutionary.”
Usage
Commonly used in the phrase 'by a fluke' or 'a total fluke'.
Real-World Examples
“It requires no skill or knowledge to do this."
He said he was "so astounded" by how easy it was that he ordered another lock in case his first attempt had been a fluke.” “This isn't a fluke of a few unusual funds or time periods.” Etymology
Unknown, perhaps dialectal. It seems to have originally referred to a lucky shot at billiards. Possibly connected to sense 3, referring to whales' use of flukes to move rapidly. Possibly derived from German Glück (“luck, good fortune, happiness”).
From Old English flōc (“flatfish”), of Germanic origin, related to German flach (“flat”), Old Norse floke (“flatfish”), all ultimately from Proto-Germanic *flakaz.
Mid-16th century in the sense of “anchor blade”. Probably the same word as in etymology 2 above or else a related word for something flat (cf. Proto-Germanic flakaz). A derivation from Middle Low German vlögel (“wing”), from Proto-Germanic flugilaz, seems phonetically impossible. If anything, related vlōch, vlucht (“flight”, both also “wing”) or even *vlunke (modern Low German Flunk (“wing, pinion”)) are more plausible candidates. Note that the kind of whale's fin is called Fluke in contemporary German, but this is likely from English.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/fluke
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「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0