Writing Tips has been archived and won’t be updated before it is permanently deleted.
For the most up-to-date content, please consult Writing Tips Plus, which combines content from Writing Tips and The Canadian Style. And don’t forget to update your bookmarks!
A flair is an instinct, knack or talent.
A flare is a flame or a gradual widening.
The noun flare-up is an outburst or recurrence of trouble or infection. Note that it is spelled with a hyphen (although the phrasal verb flare up is not).
The verb flare means to increase in brightness or revive (often used with up), or to widen (used with out).
© Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2024
TERMIUM Plus®, the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank
Writing tools – Writing Tips
A product of the Translation Bureau