NYT Dictionary

FLACK

/flæk/
VerbNounFLAKCollege

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

Meaning

To flutter; palpitate.

Etymology

Origin: Old English

From Middle English flacken (“to palpitate, flutter”), from Old English *flaccian, from Proto-West Germanic *flakkōn, from Proto-Germanic *flakkōną (“to beat”), from Proto-Indo-European *pleḱ-, which could be related to Ancient Greek πλάζω (plázō, “to turn away from”). Akin to Middle Dutch vlacken (“to flicker, flash, sparkle”), Danish flakke (“to wander”), Swedish flacka (“to rove, rove about, ramble”), Icelandic flakka (“to move”). Compare also Icelandic flaka (“to flap, hang loose”), Swedish flaxa (“to flap, flutter”).

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

flakfireattackblastantiaircraftadvocacybuildupfirepowerfireworksfiring

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 3 recorded puzzles:

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