fluke
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fluke¹
- /fluːk/ UK
- /fluk/ US
- /fljuːk/ obsolete
Rhymes with -uːk
Where it comes from
Unknown, perhaps dialectal. It seems to have originally referred to a lucky shot at billiards. Possibly connected to sense 3, referring to whales' use of flukes to move rapidly. Possibly derived from German Glück (“luck, good fortune, happiness”).
noun flukes
- A lucky or improbable occurrence that could probably never be repeated. We've classified by a fluke; actually, the first goal was just a total fluke.
verb flukes · fluking · fluked
- To obtain a successful outcome by pure chance. I fluked a pass in the multiple-choice exam.
- To fortuitously pot a ball in an unintended way. He fluked the other red into the middle pocket, despite the double kiss.
fluke²
- /fluːk/ UK
- /fluk/ US
- /fljuːk/ obsolete
Rhymes with -uːk
Where it comes from
From Old English flōc (“flatfish”), of Germanic origin, related to German flach (“flat”), Old Norse floke (“flatfish”), all ultimately from Proto-Germanic *flakaz.
noun fluke · flukes
- A summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus)
- A trematode; a parasitic flatworm of the class Trematoda, related to tapeworms (class Cestoda). The man became infected with flukes after eating a meal of raw fish.
fluke³
- /fluːk/ UK
- /fluk/ US
- /fljuːk/ obsolete
Rhymes with -uːk
Where it comes from
Mid-16th century in the sense of “anchor blade”. Probably the same word as in etymology 2 above or else a related word for something flat (cf. Proto-Germanic *flakaz). A derivation from Middle Low German vlögel (“wing”), from Proto-Germanic *flugilaz, seems phonetically impossible. If anything, related vlōch, vlucht (“flight”, both also “wing”) or even *vlunke (modern Low German Flunk (“wing, pinion”)) are more plausible candidates. Note that the kind of whale's fin is called Fluke in contemporary German, but this is likely from English.
noun flukes
- Any of the triangular blades at the end of an anchor, designed to catch the ground. The fluke of the anchor was wedged between two outcroppings of rock and could not be dislodged.
- Either of the two lobes of a whale's or similar creature's tail. The dolphin had an open wound on the left fluke of its tail where the propeller had injured it.
- A metal hook on the head of certain staff weapons (such as a bill), made in various forms depending on function, whether used for grappling or to penetrate armour when swung at an opponent. The polearm had a wide, sharpened fluke attached to the central point.
- In general, a winglike formation on a central piece. After casting the bronze statue, we filed down the flukes and spurs from the molding process.
- Waste cotton.
Fluke⁴
Where it comes from
Variant of Flook.
proper noun Flukes
- A surname.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: good fortune, good luck, flue, trematode, luck, chance, occasion, accident, opportunity, thing, coincidence, moat, halibut, turbot, flounder, flook
Translations
Every language
noun stroke of luck
| Español | chiripa, churro, anomalía, champa, moñona, carambola |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 요행수 yohaengsu, 뽀록 pporok |
| 日本語 | まぐれ magure, 紛れ当たり magureatari |
| 中文 | 僥倖 /侥幸 jiǎoxìng, 運氣 /运气 yùnqi |
| Português | golpe de sorte, acaso da sorte, fortuna inesperada, acaso feliz, cagada |
| Français | coup de chance, coup de bol |
| Deutsch | Glücksfall, glücklicher Zufall |
| Italiano | caso, caso fortuito, colpo di fortuna |
| Română | pleașcă, noroc chior |
| Русский | уда́ча udáča, везе́ние vezénije, счастли́вая случа́йность sčastlívaja slučájnostʹ |
noun anchor blade
| Español | uña, pico de loro |
|---|---|
| Português | pata de âncora |
| Français | pelle |
| Deutsch | Flunke |
| Italiano | gancio |
| Русский | ла́па я́коря lápa jákorja |
noun lobe of whale's tail
| Español | lóbulo |
|---|---|
| Kiswahili | mkia wa nyangumi |
| Português | lobo da cauda de baleia |
| Deutsch | Fluke |
| Русский | хвостово́й плавни́к xvostovój plavník |
noun a metal hook on the head of certain staff weapons
| Español | muerte |
|---|---|
| Русский | зазу́брина zazúbrina, крюк krjuk |
noun parasitic flatworm
| Français | douve |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Saugwurm |
| Русский | двуу́стка dvuústka, соса́льщик sosálʹščik, тремато́да trematóda |
Talk about this word "fluke." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/fluke. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. fluke. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/fluke "fluke." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/fluke.Cite this
@misc{fluke_2026,
title = {fluke},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/fluke},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
