Flair
/fleə(ɹ)/noun
A natural talent or distinctive style; also a distinctive, stylish quality.
Did you know?Flair entered English through French, and its older root is tied to the idea of smelling or sensing something in the air — a subtle power that feels almost psychic.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʷʰleh₃-
“to bloom, flourish, be bright”
Latin
Latin
flāgrāre
“to burn, blaze”
Old French
Old French
flairer
“to smell, sniff out”
Middle English
English
flairen
“to have a scent; to perceive by smell”
19th Century
English
flair
“a keen instinct or aptitude; distinctive style”
Modern English
English
flair
“a natural talent or distinctive stylishness”