Origin of flunk

1815–25, Americanism; perhaps akin to flinch1, funk1

OTHER WORDS FROM flunk

un·flunked, adjective

Words nearby flunk

flummox, flump, flung, flunisolide, flunitrazepam, flunk, flunk out, flunkey, flunkout, flunky, fluoborate

British Dictionary definitions for flunk out

flunk
/ (flʌŋk) informal, mainly US, Canadian and NZ /

verb

to fail or cause to fail to reach the required standard in (an examination, course, etc)
(intr foll by out) to be dismissed from a school or college through failure in examinations

noun

a low grade below the pass standard

Word Origin for flunk

C19: perhaps from flinch 1 + funk 1

Idioms and Phrases with flunk out

flunk out
1

Expel or be expelled from a school because one's work does not meet the required standard. For example, He flunked out of Harvard after just one year. [Slang; early 1800s]

2

Fail at anything, as in The camera ran out of film so we flunked out as photographers. [Slang; late 1800s]