What does flanker mean?
A flanker is, at its core, something positioned on the side — guarding, supporting, or extending a central body. In rugby union, the word names one of the two back-row forwards who bind onto either side of the scrum; flankers are typically among the fastest and most tireless players on the pitch, expected to tackle relentlessly and contest every breakdown, and they are distinguished as openside and blindside depending on which side of the scrum they occupy. In military usage, a flanker is a soldier, ship, or aircraft placed at the edge of a formation to shield its vulnerable flanks from attack — a role that dates back to musket-era tactics. Business writing borrows the term for 'flanker brands', products introduced beside an established brand to capture adjacent markets. The word derives simply from 'flank', the side of a body or formation, plus the agent suffix '-er'.
A player positioned at either side of the scrum in rugby union; more broadly, any soldier, aircraft, or unit stationed at the flank of a formation.
"Their blindside flanker dominated the lineout all afternoon."
In rugby contexts, 'openside flanker' and 'blindside flanker' denote the two distinct roles.
A product launched under a separate name alongside an existing brand to serve a different segment of the market.
"The budget model served as a flanker to protect the flagship line from cheaper rivals."
Used almost exclusively in marketing and business writing.
Standard plural; in rugby commentary 'the flankers' commonly refers to the two back-row players collectively.
"Both flankers were sin-binned within ten minutes of each other."
In rugby, the two flankers are often the fittest players on the field — they're the ones expected to be first to every breakdown, on both sides of the pitch, for all eighty minutes.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Words that share this root
How flanker is actually used
In everyday British English 'flanker' most often refers to the rugby position; military and aviation senses appear mainly in technical or historical writing. The marketing sense ('flanker brand') is common in business literature.
Easily confused with flanker
'Flankers' are side-positioned soldiers or rugby forwards, while 'flakier' describes pastry or behavior that is more prone to breaking or unreliability.