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Added 7 October 2026

flap

/flæp/ noun

In Latin: lacinia Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about flap at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Anything broad and flexible that hangs loose, or that is attached by one side or end and is easily moved.
a flap of a garment
A hinged leaf.
the flaps of a table
A hinged surface on the trailing edge of the wings of an aeroplane, used to increase lift and drag.

verb

To move (something broad and loose) up and down.
The crow slowly flapped its wings.
To move loosely back and forth.
The flag flapped in the breeze.
For a goalkeeper to weakly attempt to play a flighted ball with the hands, failing to control it.

Origin

From Middle English flap, flappe (“a slap; blow; buffet; fly-flap; something flexible or loose; flap”), related to Saterland Frisian Flappert (“wing, flipper”), Middle Dutch flabbe (“a blow; slap on the face; fly-flap; flap”) (modern Dutch flap (“flap”)), Middle Low German flabbe, vlabbe, flebbe, from the verb (see below). Related also to English flab and flabby.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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