# flute

> English word · Noun · IPA /flu(ː)t/ · frequency rank #14,541

## Definitions
1. A woodwind instrument consisting of a tube with a row of holes that produce sound through vibrations caused by air blown across the edge of the holes, often tuned by plugging one or more holes with a finger; the Western concert flute, a transverse side-blown flute of European origin.
2. A recorder, also a woodwind instrument.
3. A glass with a long, narrow bowl and a long stem, used for drinking wine, especially champagne.
4. A lengthwise groove, such as one of the lengthwise grooves on a classical column, or a groove on a cutting tool (such as a drill bit, endmill, or reamer), which helps to form both a cutting edge and a channel through which chips can escape.
5. A semicylindrical vertical groove, as in a pillar, in plaited cloth, or in a rifle barrel to cut down the weight.
6. A long French bread roll, baguette.
7. An organ stop with a flute-like sound.
8. A shuttle in weaving tapestry etc.

## Etymology
From Middle English fleute, floute, flote, from Old French flaute, fleüte, from Old Provençal flaüt, of uncertain origin. Perhaps ultimately from three possibilities:
* Blend of Provencal flaujol (“flageolet”) + laüt (“lute”)
* From Latin flātus (“blowing”), from flāre (“to blow”)
* Imitative.
Doublet of flauta and fluyt.

## Easily confused with
- **FTE** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flute-vs-fte)
- **fut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flute-vs-fut)
- **fuse** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flute-vs-fuse)
- **flux** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flute-vs-flux)
- **fume** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flute-vs-fume)
- **forte** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flute-vs-forte)
- **flutes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flute-vs-flutes)
- **folate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flute-vs-folate)
- **fluted** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flute-vs-fluted)
- **flutter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flute-vs-flutter)
- **flu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flu-vs-flute)
- **flat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flat-vs-flute)
- **fate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fate-vs-flute)
- **flee** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flee-vs-flute)
- **flue** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flue-vs-flute)
- **fete** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fete-vs-flute)
- **fluid** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fluid-vs-flute)
- **flame** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flame-vs-flute)
- **flush** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flush-vs-flute)
- **flare** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/flare-vs-flute)

## Common misspellings (7)
`fflute`, `fllute`, `fltue`, `fluet`, `flutte`, `fulte`, `lfute`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/flute