flair
UK[fleə]US[fler]
n
a natural ability or talent for doing something well
n
a stylish and original way of doing things
Etymology
the word 'flair' entered english in the late 14th century from the old french 'flair', meaning 'sense of smell'. this old french term derived from the latin verb 'fragrare', meaning 'to smell sweet'. the semantic journey from a literal sense of smell to a metaphorical sense of instinctive talent is a vivid example of semantic shift. the modern english meanings of 'natural talent' and 'stylish originality' developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, capturing the idea of an innate, perceptive ability akin to a keen sense.
Analysis
this word is a simplex loanword from french. it is not productively formed from separable english morphemes and therefore cannot be segmented based on its current english spelling.
Examples
she has a real flair for languages and picks them up effortlessly.
the restaurant was decorated with great flair and attention to detail.
he handled the difficult negotiations with considerable political flair.