Flirt Definition

flûrt

flirted, flirting, flirts

verb

flirted, flirting, flirts

To behave as though romantically or sexually attracted to someone, often, specif., without serious intentions or emotional commitment.

Webster's New World

To move jerkily or unevenly.

Webster's New World

To deal playfully, triflingly, or superficially with.

Flirt with danger.

American Heritage

To toss or flick quickly.

Webster's New World

To move jerkily back and forth.

The bird flirted its tail.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Antonyms:
be faithful

noun

flirts

One given to flirting.

American Heritage

A quick, jerky movement; flutter.

Webster's New World

A person who flirts with others.

Webster's New World

A sudden jerk; a quick throw or cast; a darting motion; hence, a jeer.

Wiktionary

One who flirts; especially a woman who acts with giddiness, or plays at courtship; a coquette; a pert girl.

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

adjective

Pert; wanton.

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

idiom

flirt with

to engage in flirtatious behavior toward (someone)
to engage in or become interested in (something) briefly or superficially
an actor flirting with politics

Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Flirt

Noun

Singular:

flirt

Plural:

flirts

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Flirt

flirt with

Origin of Flirt

1553, from the merger of Early Modern English flirt (“to flick”), flurt (“to mock, jibe, scorn”), and flirt, flurt (“a giddy girl”). Of obscure origin and relation. Apparently related to similar words in Germanic, compare Eastern Frisian flirt (“a flick of the fingers, a light blow”), Eastern Frisian flirtje (“a giddy girl”), Low German flirtje (“a flirt”), German Flirtchen (“a flirt”), Norwegian flira (“to giggle, titter”). Perhaps from Middle English gill-flurt (“a flirt”), or an alteration of flird (“a trifling", also, "to jibe, jeer at”), from Middle English flerd (“mockery, fraud, deception”), from Old English fleard (“nonsense, vanity, folly, deception”). Compare Scots flird (“to talk idly, flirt, flaunt”). See flird.

From Wiktionary
Origin unknown

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition