A “flapper” is mainly a historical term for a stylish, modern young woman of the 1920s who rejected many traditional social rules and embraced a freer lifestyle. The word can also more generally mean something that flaps or a person/thing that flaps, but in everyday conversation it almost always refers to that 1920s image.

Core meaning

  • In classic usage, a flapper was a young woman in the 1920s who was fashionable, socially bold, and more independent than previous generations.
  • The image includes short bobbed hair, knee‑length dresses, jazz music, partying, and ignoring older ideas of “proper” behavior.

1920s culture vibe

  • Flappers became symbols of the Roaring Twenties: noisy jazz clubs, dance crazes, and a playful challenge to conservative morals.
  • They were often described as wearing makeup, drinking and smoking in public, driving cars, and treating dating and sex more casually than was then acceptable.

Where the word came from

  • Earlier, “flapper” could just mean something that flaps, or a young bird flapping its wings while learning to fly.
  • By the late 1800s and early 1900s it was used for teenage girls not yet fully “out” in adult society, and then narrowed into the 1920s party‑loving young woman sense.

Any modern or slang use?

  • Today, outside history and fashion, the word is mostly used to talk about 1920s style, films, or costumes (like “a flapper dress” for a 1920s‑themed party).
  • Some online slang spins off the idea of “flapping” as excited or over‑the‑top behavior, but that’s a niche, playful usage and not the standard dictionary meaning.

Quick examples

  • “She wore a flapper dress for the 1920s‑themed wedding.” → dress in the style of 1920s flappers.
  • “The movie shows the wild life of flappers in the Jazz Age.” → young women of that era who rejected strict conventions.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.