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Webster 1913 Edition

Floss

Floss

(?; 195)
,
Noun.
[It.
floscio
flabby, soft, fr. L.
fluxus
flowing, loose, slack. See
Flux
,
Noun.
]
1.
(Bot.)
The slender styles of the pistillate flowers of maize; also called
silk
.
2.
Untwisted filaments of silk, used in embroidering.
Floss silk
,
silk that has been twisted, and which retains its loose and downy character. It is much used in embroidery. Called also
floxed silk
.
–
Floss thread
,
a kind of soft flaxen yarn or thread, used for embroidery; – called also
linen floss
, and
floss yarn
.
McElrath.

Floss

,
Noun.
[Cf. G.
floss
a float.]
1.
A small stream of water.
[Eng.]
2.
Fluid glass floating on iron in the puddling furnace, produced by the vitrification of oxides and earths which are present.
Floss hole
.
(a)
A hole at the back of a puddling furnace, at which the slags pass out.
(b)
The tap hole of a melting furnace.
Knight.

Webster 1828 Edition

Floss

FLOSS

,
Noun.
[L. flos.] A downy or silky substance in the husks of certain plants.

Definition 2024

Floss

Floss

See also: floss, FLOSS, and Floß

German

Noun

Floss n ‎(genitive Flosses, plural Flösse)

  1. Switzerland and Liechtenstein standard spelling of Floß.

Luxembourgish

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /flos/
  • Rhymes: -os

Etymology 1

From Old High German fluz. Cognate with German Fluss.

Noun

Floss m ‎(plural Flëss)

  1. river

Etymology 2

From Old High German flozza. Cognate with German Flosse.

Noun

Floss f ‎(plural Flossen)

  1. fin, flipper

floss

floss

See also: Floss, FLOSS, and Floß

English

Noun

floss ‎(plural flosses)

  1. a thread, used to clean the area between the teeth
  2. (raw) silk fibres
  3. the fibres covering a corn cob
  4. Any thread-like material having parallel strands that are not spun or wound around each other.
    embroidery floss
  5. (Britain) Spun sugar or cotton candy, especially in the phrase "candy floss".
  6. A body feather of an ostrich.
    Flosses are soft, and grey from the female and black from the male.
Translations

Verb

floss ‎(third-person singular simple present flosses, present participle flossing, simple past and past participle flossed)

  1. To clean the area between the teeth using floss.
  2. (African American Vernacular) To show off, especially by exhibiting one’s wealth or talent.
    • 2003, Vladimir Bogdanov, All Music Guide to Hip-Hop: The Definitive Guide to Rap and Hip-Hop, Backbeat Books, page 554:
      As the label's name no doubt implies, these rappers aren't your typical crew, even if they still like to floss and represent their city.
    • 2003, Wang, Oliver, Classic Material: The Hip-Hop Album Guide, ECW Press, page 134:
      “Ms. Jackson” is probably the most sensitive—and realistic—take on relationships to come out of hip-hop, while “Red Velvet” cautions would-be playas against pushing the floss envelope around “dirty boys” just waiting for a chance to add some gray flecks to that fur.
    • 2007, Azie Faison, Agyei Tyehimba, Game Over: The Rise and Transformation of a Harlem Hustler, Simon and Schuster, page 69:
      It's impossible to floss wealth without attracting envy.
Related terms

Etymology 2

Compare German Floss a float.

Noun

floss ‎(plural flosses)

  1. (Britain) A small stream of water.
  2. Fluid glass floating on iron in the puddling furnace, produced by the vitrification of oxides and earths which are present.
Derived terms
  • floss hole

German

Verb

floss

  1. First-person singular preterite of fließen.
  2. Third-person singular preterite of fließen.

Etymology

A woman spinning candy floss.

1750, from French floche ‎(“tuft of wool”), from floc, from Old French flosche ‎(“down, velvet”), from Latin floccus ‎(“piece of wool”), probably from Frankish *flokko ‎(“down, wool, flock”), from Proto-Germanic *flukkōn-, *flukkan-, *fluksōn- ‎(“down, flock”), from Proto-Indo-European *plAwək- ‎(“hair, fibres, tuft”). Cognate with Old High German flocko ‎(“down”), Middle Dutch vlocke ‎(“flock”), Norwegian dialectal flugsa ‎(“snowflake”), Dutch flos ‎(“plush”) (tr=17c.). Related to fleece.

Pronunciation

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