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flaw¹

(flô)

1. An imperfection, often concealed, that impairs soundness: a flaw in the crystal that caused it to shatter. See Synonyms at blemish.

2. A defect or shortcoming in something intangible: The two leaders share the flaw of arrogance.

tr.v. flawed, flaw·ing, flaws

To cause a flaw in; make defective: an argument that was flawed by specious reasoning.

[Middle English flaue, splinter, perhaps from Old Norse flaga, slab of stone; see plāk-¹ in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

flaw²

(flô)

A quick, intense burst, especially of wind, rain, or snow.

[Probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Swedish flaga, gust of wind.]

flawy adj.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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