flatter

C1 Topic:Actions & Processes

Also spelled natter and nattered

US /ˈflætɚ/ UK /ˈflætə/ See IPA manual

Freq #9534

Meanings

1

verb
To praise someone, often insincerely, to please them or win favour.

He flattered the boss hoping for a promotion.
2

verb
To make someone look more attractive than they really are.

That dress really flatters you.
3

verb
To please oneself with a belief, often a mistaken one.

I flattered myself that I had passed, but I had failed.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to praise someone, often... butter upblandish

More collogueflatterizeglavergloze jolly palaver preen puff soothe stroke

Opposites

defame offend

Word family

Forms flatteredflatteringflattersunflattering

Derived forms beflatterflatterableflatteressflatterizeflatterousflattersomeoutflatteroverflatterunflatter

Related forms allure flattererflatteringflattery glorifyunflatteringwoo

Etymology

*From Middle English flatteren, flateren (“to flutter, float, fawn over”), probably a conflation of Old English floterian, flotorian (“to flutter, float, be disquieted”), from Proto-West Germanic *flotrōn, from Proto-Germanic *flutrōną (“to be floating”), from Proto-Indo-European *plewd- (“to flow, swim”), equivalent to float + -er; and Old Norse flaðra (“to fawn on someone, flatter”), from Proto-Germanic *flaþrōną (“to fawn over, flutter”), from Proto-Indo-European *peled- (“moisture, wetness”), *pel- (“to gush, pour out, fill, flow, swim, fly”). Cognate with Scots flatter, flotter (“to float…

flatteren Middle English floterian Old English *flotrōn Proto-West Germanic *flutrōną Proto-Germanic *plewd- Proto-Indo-European flaðra Old Norse *flaþrōną Proto-Germanic *peled- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# flatter

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈflætɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈflætə/
**Frequency rank:** 9534

## Meanings
1. To praise someone, often insincerely, to please them or win favour.
2. To make someone look more attractive than they really are.
3. To please oneself with a belief, often a mistaken one.

## Examples
- He flattered the boss hoping for a promotion.
- That dress really flatters you.
- I flattered myself that I had passed, but I had failed.

## Synonyms
- collogue
- flatterize
- glaver
- gloze
- jolly
- palaver
- preen
- puff
- soothe
- stroke

## Antonyms
- defame
- offend

## Derived Forms
- beflatter
- flatterable
- flatteress
- flatterize
- flatterous
- flattersome
- outflatter
- overflatter
- unflatter

## Related Forms
- allure
- flatterer
- flattering
- flattery
- glorify
- unflattering
- woo

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: flatteren
- Root: floterian
- Root: *flotrōn
- Root: *flutrōną
- Root: *plewd-
- Root: flaðra
- Root: *flaþrōną
- Root: *peled-

## Etymology
*From Middle English flatteren, flateren (“to flutter, float, fawn over”), probably a conflation of Old English floterian, flotorian (“to flutter, float, be disquieted”), from Proto-West Germanic *flotrōn, from Proto-Germanic *flutrōną (“to be floating”), from Proto-Indo-European *plewd- (“to flow, swim”), equivalent to float + -er; and Old Norse flaðra (“to fawn on someone, flatter”), from Proto-Germanic *flaþrōną (“to fawn over, flutter”), from Proto-Indo-European *peled- (“moisture, wetness”), *pel- (“to gush, pour out, fill, flow, swim, fly”). Cognate with Scots flatter, flotter (“to float…

## AI Etymology
Flatter is from Middle English flatteren, flateren (“to flutter, float, fawn over”), probably a conflation of Old English floterian, flotorian (“to flutter, float, be disquieted”), from Proto-West Germanic *flotrōn, from Proto-Germanic *flutrōną (“to be floating”), from Proto-Indo-European *plewd- (“to flow, swim”), equivalent to float + -er; and Old Norse flaðra (“to fawn on someone, flatter”), from Proto-Germanic *flaþrōną (“to fawn over, flutter”), from Proto-Indo-European *peled- (“moisture, wetness”), *pel- (“to gush, pour out, fill, flow, swim, fly”). Cognate with Scots flatter, flotter (“to float… In present-day use, it can mean to praise someone, often insincerely, to please them or win favour, or to make someone look more attractive than they really are.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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