flirt (English)
Where does "flirt" come from?
The word 'flirt' emerged in the mid-16th century as an onomatopoeic term for quick, jerky motions, similar to a flick of the fingers. It evolved from a range of Germanic roots, blending meanings related to mockery, frivolity, and lighthearted teasing. Over time, these disparate ideas, from 'flicking' something away to 'giddy' social behavior, converged to define the modern sense of engaging in playful courtship.
Full etymology tree
- flirt (English), 'To throw (something) with a jerk or sudden movement; to fling.'
- inherited flerd (Middle English), 'deceit, falsehood'
- inherited fleard (Old English), 'fraud, deceit, trickery, deception'
- inherited *flaihaz (Proto-Germanic), 'false, insidious'
- inherited fleard (Old English), 'fraud, deceit, trickery, deception'
- inherited flerd (Middle English), 'deceit, falsehood'
Direct ancestors
- Flittchen (German)
- jillflirt (English)
- flird (Scots)
- flerd (Middle English)
- fleard (Old English)
- flærð (Icelandic)
- flärd (Swedish)
- flard (Dutch)
Updated June 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris