Flack

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /flæk/

Definitions

1. A public relations representative who defends or promotes individuals or organizations often faces negative criticism or backlash regarding their clients and their actions or reputations
2. One who engages in public relations may shield their clients from unfavorable judgment while also being the target of scrutiny themselves due to their representation and associations
3. A person working in the field of public relations is tasked with defending clients from adverse opinions and may simultaneously deal with backlash directed at their own actions or affiliations

Etymology: The modern sense of "flack" is a figure of American English, and its surprising link is to anti-aircraft fire. "Flak" is a German abbreviation of "Fliegerabwehrkanone," meaning "aircraft defence cannon," and it entered English during the Second World War. Its figurative sense of being under fire from criticism is the basis for "flack," the public relations representative who absorbs or deflects hostile questions for a client. The word "flack" is most likely a variant of "flak," though its older roots run back much further. Its ancestry lies in Middle English "flacken," meaning "to palpitate, flutter," which came from Old English "flaccian," a word meaning "to beat." Related forms in Middle Dutch, Danish, Swedish and Icelandic carry senses of flickering, wandering and flapping, which suggests a shared idea of something moving restlessly or striking the air.

Synonyms: publicist, spokesperson, promoter

Antonyms: critic, opponent