Flawless

How to spell flawless

8 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce flawless

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does flawless mean?

1. adjectiveWithout any fault, defect, or imperfection; perfect.

Flawless in a sentence

• The jeweller confirmed that the diamond was flawless under magnification.

• Her flawless presentation impressed the entire board.

Where does flawless come from?

Language of origin: Old Norse

The word is built from two simple English pieces: the noun 'flaw' plus the suffix '-less', meaning 'without'. The root 'flaw' came into English in the 1300s, very likely from Old Norse 'flaga', meaning a slab or flake of stone, and it first described a fragment, splinter, or crack before settling into its modern sense of a defect or imperfection. The suffix '-less' is thoroughly native, descending from Old English 'leas', meaning 'free from' or 'devoid of', the same element seen in 'fearless' and 'careless'. Joined together, 'flawless' literally means 'having no flaw', and it has been used since the 1600s to praise things free of any blemish. The spelling trap is small but real: the word keeps the single 'w' of 'flaw' and then takes the doubled 's' of '-less', so it ends in '-wless', a cluster that looks odd but is correct.

How the word is built

• flaw (a fault or imperfection)
• -less (without)