floss

1 of 2

noun

ˈfläs How to pronounce floss (audio)
ˈflȯs
Synonyms of flossnext
1
a
: soft thread of silk or mercerized cotton for embroidery
b
: dental floss
2
: fluffy fibrous material

floss

2 of 2

verb

flossed; flossing; flosses

transitive verb

: to use dental floss on

intransitive verb

: to use dental floss

Synonyms

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of floss in a Sentence

Noun used cotton floss to simulate Santa's beard Verb My dentist told me I should floss more often.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The same is true for floss, which is often made of or coated with plastic. —Kaitlin Sullivan, Health, 20 Feb. 2025 Entrees include the Wagyu Dog which is gloriously topped with egg, bacon, scallions, pork floss and furikake; the numbing mapo tofu noodles; and a pineapple glazed salmon with yau choy, ginger, scallion and fish sauce. —Chelsea Davis, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2025
Verb
This primarily involves regular and thorough toothbrushing, flossing, and dental visits. —Mark Gurarie, Health, 6 Apr. 2025 Additionally, remove plaque from between the teeth by flossing daily. —Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 14 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for floss

Word History

Etymology

Noun

probably borrowed from Occitan (Languedoc or an adjacent area) flos "loose, untwisted (of silk)," going back to Latin fluxus "flowing, liquid, flabby, soft," from past participle of fluere "to flow" — more at fluid entry 1

Note: The English word apparently first occurs in Samuel Pullein's The Culture of Silk: Or, an Essay on its Rational Practice and Improvement (London, 1758). Pullein is unclear as to his sources, but he seems to have been familiar with silk production and the cultivation of mulberry trees in southeastern France and northwestern Italy. He uses the word both as an independent noun and in the collocation floss silk, which corresponds to French soie floche, Occitan sedo flusso (thus in Mistral, Lou tresor dóu Felibrige), and Italian seta floscia. French floche, which on phonetic grounds is unlikely to be the direct source of the English word, is traced to Gascon in Französisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, though Gascony was not a major center of silk production.

Verb

derivative of floss entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1759, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1974, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of floss was in 1759

Phrases Containing floss

Rhymes for floss

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Browse Nearby Words

flos ferri
floss
flossa
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Cite this Entry

“Floss.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/floss. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.

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Kids Definition

floss

1 of 2 noun
ˈfläs How to pronounce floss (audio)
ˈflȯs
1
a
: soft silk or cotton thread used for embroidery
b
: dental floss
2
: fluffy material full of fibers

floss

2 of 2 verb
: to use dental floss on (one's teeth)

Medical Definition

floss

1 of 2 noun
ˈfläs, ˈflȯs How to pronounce floss (audio)
: dental floss

floss

2 of 2 transitive verb
: to use dental floss on (one's teeth)
the correct way to floss your teeth

intransitive verb

: to use dental floss
flosses daily

More from Merriam-Webster on floss

Nglish: Translation of floss for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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