English Explanatory Dictionary

fluke

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A lucky or improbable occurrence that could probably never be repeated.
verb
  1. To obtain a successful outcome by pure chance.
  2. To fortuitously pot a ball in an unintended way.
noun
  1. A summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus)
  2. A trematode; a parasitic flatworm of the class Trematoda, related to tapeworms (class Cestoda).
noun
  1. Any of the triangular blades at the end of an anchor, designed to catch the ground.
  2. Either of the two lobes of a whale's or similar creature's tail.
  3. 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.
  4. In general, a winglike formation on a central piece.
  5. Waste cotton.
name
  1. A surname.

Pronunciation

/fluːk/ flo͞ok /fluk/ /fljuːk/ flyo͞ok en-us-fluke.ogg

Word forms

fluke flukes fluking fluked

Etymology

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”).

Related words

flukey fluky

Derived words

flukeless flukish fluke out fluke up Flatworms American fluke bile fluke blood fluke bladder fluke cat liver fluke cecal fluke Chinese liver fluke deer fluke eye fluke flukelike flukeworm flukicide giant intestinal fluke giant liver fluke lancet fluke lancet liver fluke liver fluke lung fluke sheep liver fluke other bannock fluke) Gulf fluke long fluke pole fluke sail fluke sail-fluke sand fluke snow fluke turn flukes
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