Third person singular present of flirt; behaves playfully in a romantic or sexual way, or shows superficial interest in something without serious commitment.
From the 16th century meaning to move lightly or quickly, possibly from French 'fleureter'. The romantic meaning developed in the 18th century from the idea of light, playful movement extending to social behavior.
Flirting behaviors are remarkably similar across cultures - eye contact, smiling, light touching, and playful teasing appear in courtship rituals worldwide. Evolutionary psychologists suggest flirting serves as a low-risk way to test romantic interest while maintaining plausible deniability if the interest isn't reciprocated.
Historically coded feminine and trivialized — a woman's 'flirting' is often dismissed as non-serious or manipulative, while male flirtation is normalized. Carries gendered assumptions about intent and power.
Specify the behavior (playful banter, light touches, witty exchange) rather than labeling someone's character. Avoid implying dishonesty or frivolousness.
["banters","engages playfully","teases lightly"]
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.