Word Study
flair
WORDNET DICTIONARY
Noun flair has 3 senses
- flair(n = noun.cognition) genius - a natural talent; "he has a flair for mathematics"; "he has a genius for interior decorating" is a kind of endowment, gift, natural endowment, talent
- flair(n = noun.attribute) dash, elan, panache, style - distinctive and stylish elegance; "he wooed her with the confident dash of a cavalry officer" is a kind of elegance
- flair(n = noun.shape) flare - a shape that spreads outward; "the skirt had a wide flare" is a kind of form, shape
CIDE DICTIONARY
flair, n. [OE. flaireodor, fr. OF. & F. flair, fr. OF. flairier, F. flairer, to smell, LL. flagrare for L. fragrare. See Flagrant.].
- Smell; odor. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
- Sense of smell; scent; fig., discriminating sense. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
- A talent or ability, expecially an intuitive one that makes performance of a task appear easy; an intuitive appreciation; a knack; as, she has a flair for acting. [PJC]
- An attractive way of performing a task; style. [PJC]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
flair, n.
1 an instinct for selecting or performing what is excellent, useful, etc.; a talent (has a flair for knowing what the public wants; has a flair for languages).
2 talent or ability, esp. artistic or stylistic.
1 an instinct for selecting or performing what is excellent, useful, etc.; a talent (has a flair for knowing what the public wants; has a flair for languages).
2 talent or ability, esp. artistic or stylistic.
Etymology
F flairer to smell ult. f. L fragrare: see FRAGRANT
THESAURUS
flair
ability, ableness, acuity, acumen, acuteness, adequacy, adroitness, an ear for, an eye for, aptitude, aptness, art, artistic skill, artistry, arty-craftiness, bent, blazon, braininess, bravura, brightness, brilliance, brilliancy, bump, caliber, capability, capableness, capacity, capacity for, chic, clear thinking, cleverness, competence, critical discernment, daring, dash, demonstration, dexterity, discernment, display, dower, dowry, dramatics, eclat, efficacy, efficiency, elan, elegance, endowment, equipment, esprit, etalage, exhibition, exhibitionism, facility, faculty, false front, fanfaronade, feel, felicity, figure, fitness, flaunt, flaunting, flourish, forte, genius, genius for, gift, gift for, giftedness, gifts, glamor, head, histrionics, inclination, innate aptitude, insight, instinct, judgment, keen-wittedness, keenness, knack, leaning, long suit, makings, manifestation, mental alertness, mercurial mind, metier, mind, native cleverness, natural endowment, natural gift, nimble mind, nimble-wittedness, nimbleness, nous, oomph, pageant, pageantry, panache, parade, parts, penetration, perception, perceptiveness, perspicacity, pizzazz, potential, power, powers, proclivity, proficiency, propensity, qualification, quick parts, quick thinking, quick wit, quick-wittedness, quickness, ready wit, savvy, sham, sharp-wittedness, sharpness, show, showing-off, skill, smartness, smarts, sparkle, speciality, spectacle, splash, splurge, sprightly wit, staginess, strong flair, strong point, style, stylishness, sufficiency, susceptibility, talent, talents, taste, tendency, the goods, the stuff, theatrics, turn, turn for, vaunt, verve, virtu, vitality, what it takes
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