Pronunciation: [flˈaʃɪz] (IPA) 
The word "flashes" is spelled with the IPA phonetic transcription /ˈflæʃɪz/. This word is a plural noun that refers to a sudden, brief burst of light or a brief display of emotion or activity. The spelling of "flashes" includes the consonants /f/, /l/, /ʃ/, and /z/, along with the vowel sounds /æ/ and /ɪ/. The plural form is indicated by the letter "es" at the end of the word, denoting multiple instances of the noun.
Flashes, as a noun, refers to the plural form of the word "flash." The term "flash," as a noun, has multiple different meanings depending on the context.
Firstly, a flash can refer to a sudden burst of light or a brief emission of intense light. It can be produced by an electric discharge, such as lightning, or by the activation of a camera's flash unit. Flash photography involves using a brief burst of light to illuminate a subject and capture a photograph.
Additionally, a flash can refer to a brief moment or instance of something. It signifies a sudden occurrence or a fleeting moment of an event or phenomenon. For example, one can experience a sudden flash of inspiration or a flash of insight, where an idea or understanding comes to them suddenly and momentarily.
The term "flash" is also used in the context of fashion. In this sense, it refers to wearing or exhibiting flashy, ostentatious, or showy clothing or accessories, often associated with style and glamour.
Furthermore, the term can be used as a verb meaning to emit a flash of light, to shine or sparkle brightly for a moment, or to suddenly appear or disappear. For instance, lightning flashes across the sky or a neon sign flashes on and off.
In summary, "flashes" typically refers to the plural form of the noun "flash" and encompasses sudden bursts of light, brief instances or moments, fashion incorporating ostentation, and verbs associated with emitting light or sudden appearance.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "flashes" originated from Middle English "flasch" or "flask" which derived from Old English "flaesc" or "flaesces". These Old English words referred to something that burns, flickers, or gives off a sudden burst of light. The word "flaesc" ultimately traces back to the Germanic word "flaske", which means "flame" or "blaze". From its root meaning of a sudden burst of light, "flashes" came to be used to describe short bursts of light, lightning, or a quick gleam or sparkle. Over time, the term expanded in meaning to encompass a variety of sudden, brief occurrences or impressions, as well as the phenomenon of "seeing stars" after being struck or hit.
