fluke

1
[ flook ]
See synonyms for fluke on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the part of an anchor that catches in the ground, especially the flat triangular piece at the end of each arm.

  2. a barb, or the barbed head, of a harpoon, spear, arrow, or the like.

  1. either half of the triangular tail of a whale.

Origin of fluke

1
First recorded in 1555–65; perhaps special use of fluke3

Words Nearby fluke

Other definitions for fluke (2 of 3)

fluke2
[ flook ]

noun
  1. an accidental advantage; stroke of good luck: He got the job by a fluke.

  2. an accident or chance happening.

  1. an accidentally successful stroke, as in billiards.

Origin of fluke

2
First recorded in 1855–60; of obscure origin; compare English dialect fluke “a guess”

Other definitions for fluke (3 of 3)

fluke3
[ flook ]

noun
  1. any of several American flounders of the genus Paralichthys, especially P. dentatus, found in the Atlantic Ocean.

  2. any of various other flatfishes.

  1. a trematode.

Origin of fluke

3
First recorded before 900; Middle English flok, fluke, flewke, Old English flōc; cognate with Old Norse flōki; compare Old High German flah “flat” (German flach )

Other words from fluke

  • flukeless, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use fluke in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for fluke (1 of 3)

fluke1

/ (fluːk) /


noun
  1. Also called: flue a flat bladelike projection at the end of the arm of an anchor

  2. either of the two lobes of the tail of a whale or related animal

  1. Also called: flue the barb or barbed head of a harpoon, arrow, etc

Origin of fluke

1
C16: perhaps a special use of fluke ³ (in the sense: a flounder)

British Dictionary definitions for fluke (2 of 3)

fluke2

/ (fluːk) /


noun
  1. an accidental stroke of luck

  2. any chance happening

verb
  1. (tr) to gain, make, or hit by a fluke

Origin of fluke

2
C19: of unknown origin

British Dictionary definitions for fluke (3 of 3)

fluke3

/ (fluːk) /


noun
  1. any parasitic flatworm, such as the blood fluke and liver fluke, of the classes Monogenea and Digenea (formerly united in a single class Trematoda)

  2. another name for flounder 2 (def. 1)

Origin of fluke

3
Old English flōc; related to Old Norse flōki flounder, Old Saxon flaka sole, Old High German flah smooth

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for fluke

fluke

[ flōōk ]


  1. Either of the two flattened fins of a whale's tail.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.