Definition of 'flaw'
Word forms: plural flaws
1. countable noun
A flaw in something such as a theory or argument is a mistake in it, which causes it to be
less effective or valid.
2. countable noun
A flaw in someone's character is an undesirable quality that they have.
3. countable noun
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
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Word Frequency
flaw in American English 1
noun
verb transitive, verb intransitive
3.
to make or become faulty
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈdeˌfect
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
flawless (ˈflawless)
adjective
flawlessly (ˈflawlessly)
adverb
flawlessness (ˈflawlessness)
noun
Word origin
ME, a flake, scale, splinter, prob. < or akin to ON flaga, thin layer: for IE base see flake1Word Frequency
flaw in American English 2
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin
< or akin to ON flaga, sudden onset < IE base *plāk-, *plāg-, to strike, beat > flicker1, L plangere, to beat (the breast)
Word Frequency
flaw in American English 1
(flɔ)
transitive verb
SYNONYMS 1. imperfection, blot, spot. See defect. 3. fissure, rift.4.
to produce a flaw in
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
flawless adjective
flawlessly
adverb
flawlessness
noun
Word origin
[1275–1325; ME flaw(e), flage, perh. ‹ ON flaga sliver, flake]Word Frequency
flaw in American English 2
(flɔ)
noun
2.
a short spell of rough weather
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
flawy adjective
Word origin
[1475–85; ‹ ON flaga attack, squall]Word Frequency
flaw in British English 1
noun
1.
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
flawless (ˈflawless) adjective
flawlessly (ˈflawlessly)
adverb
flawlessness (ˈflawlessness)
noun
Word origin
C14: probably from Old Norse flaga stone slab; related to Swedish flaga chip, flake, flaw
Word Frequency
flaw in British English 2
noun
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
flawy (ˈflawy) adjective
Word origin
C16: of Scandinavian origin; related to Norwegian flaga squall, gust, Middle Dutch vlāgheExamples of 'flaw' in a sentence
flaw
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flaw
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In other languages
flaw
British English: flaw
/flɔː/ NOUN
A flaw in something such as a theory is a mistake in it.
There were a number of flaws in his theory.
- American English: flaw /ˈflɔ/
- Arabic: عَيْب
- Brazilian Portuguese: falha
- Chinese: 缺点
- Croatian: nedostatak
- Czech: chyba
- Danish: fejl
- Dutch: gebrek onvolkomenheid
- European Spanish: error
- Finnish: vika
- French: faille
- German: Mangel
- Greek: ψεγάδι
- Italian: pecca
- Japanese: きず 損傷
- Korean: 결점
- Norwegian: lyte
- Polish: skaza
- European Portuguese: falha
- Romanian: eroare
- Russian: изъян
- Spanish: defecto
- Swedish: felaktighet
- Thai: ข้อบกพร่อง
- Turkish: kusur
- Ukrainian: вада
- Vietnamese: khiếm khuyết
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flaw
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flaw
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Definition of flaw from the Collins English Dictionary
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