 The "Oxford English Dictionary" (first edition) associates it with such onomatopoeic words as "flit" and "flick", emphasizing a lack of seriousness; on the other hand, it has been attributed to the old French "conter fleurette", which means "to (try to) seduce" by the dropping of flower petals, that is, "to speak sweet nothings".While old-fashioned, this expression is still used in French, often mockingly, but the English gallicism "to flirt" has made its way and has now become an anglicism.The word "fleurette" was used in the 16th century in some sonnets, and some other texts.