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flatter

adj
/ˈflætɚ/US/ˈflætə/UK

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; splash; cover with liquid”), Middle Dutch flatteren (“to embellish, flatter, caress”), German flattern (“to flutter”). *The word was also falsely associated with Middle French flatter (“to flatter, to caress with the flat of the hand”), from Old French flater (“to deceive by concealing the truth, to stroke with the palm of the hand”), from Frankish *flat (“palm, flat of the hand”), from Proto-Germanic *flatą, *flatō (“palm, sole”), from *flataz (“flat”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *pleth₂-, *pleh₂- (“flat, broad, plain”); related to Old High German flazza (“palm, flat of the hand”), Old High German flaz (“level, flat”), Old Saxon flat (“flat”), Old Norse flatr (“flat”) (whence English flat), Old Frisian flet, flette (“dwelling, house”), Old English flet, flett (“ground floor, dwelling”). More at flat.

  1. derived from *peled-✻ — “moisture, wetness”
  2. derived from *flaþrōną✻ — “to fawn over, flutter”
  3. derived from flaðra — “to fawn on someone, flatter”
  4. derived from *plewd-✻ — “to flow, swim”
  5. inherited from *flutrōną✻ — “to be floating”
  6. inherited from *flotrōn✻
  7. inherited from floterian
  8. inherited from flatteren

Definitions

  1. comparative form of flat

    comparative form of flat: more flat

  2. To compliment someone, often (but not necessarily) insincerely and sometimes to win…

    To compliment someone, often (but not necessarily) insincerely and sometimes to win favour.

    • A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.
    • 1855, William H. Prescott, History of the Reign of Philip the Second, King of Spain, Boston: Phillips, Sampson & Co., Volume 1, Book 1, Chapter 7, p. 242, Some he complimented for their bravery; others he flattered by asking their advice.

  3. To enhance or gratify someone's vanity by praising them.

  4. ›+ 8 more definitions

    1. To portray someone to advantage.

      • Her portrait flatters her.
      • Here is her picture: let me see; I think, If I had such a tire, this face of mine Were full as lovely as is this of hers: And yet the painter flatter’d her a little […]

    2. To encourage or cheer someone with (usually false) hope.

    3. To cheer or please (with the idea that)

      To cheer or please (with the idea that); congratulate oneself, especially when the perception is false.

      • Before the results came out, I flattered myself that I had done well on the test. It turned out I was the worst in the class!
      • The dire imagination she did follow This sound of hope doth labour to expel; For now reviving joy bids her rejoice, And flatters her it is Adonis’ voice.

    4. A type of set tool used by blacksmiths.

    5. A flat-faced fulling hammer.

    6. A drawplate with a narrow, rectangular orifice, for drawing flat strips such as watch…

      A drawplate with a narrow, rectangular orifice, for drawing flat strips such as watch springs.

    7. Someone who flattens, purposely or accidentally. Also flattener.

    8. Someone who lives in a rented flat.

The neighborhood

Derived

beflatter, flatterable, flatteress, flatterize, flatter oneself, flatterous, flattersome, flatter to deceive, outflatter, overflatter, unflatter

Vish — recursive loop

A definitional loop anchored at flatter. Each word in the ring is defined by the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself. Scroll to it and watch.

01flatter02praising03praise04adoration05infatuation06infatuated07infatuate08enthusiasm09inspiration10flattening

A definitional loop anchored at flatter. Each word in the ring appears in the definition of the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself.

10 hops · closes at flatter

curated · pre-corpus. live cycle detection across the full graph is the next major milestone.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA