Where does “flair” come from?
Flair comes from Middle English flayre, from Old French flair, from Old French flairier meaning "to smell," from Latin flagro meaning "to burn" or "to blaze," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰel- meaning "to shine" or "to burn."
flair (English): A natural or innate talent or aptitude;...
Definitions
- A natural or innate talent or aptitude;...
Ancestry of “flair”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | flayre | A smell or scent; a nasal sensation; An... |
| 2 | Old French | flair | smell; odor; sense of smell |
| 3 | Old French | flairier | to smell |
| 4 | Latin | flāgrō | to burn, blaze |
| 5 | Latin | frāgrō | to emit a smell of, to smell of, to be redolent of, to reek of |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | frāgrāō | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰreh₂gro- | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰreh₂g- | to smell |