The elliptic flow, od=retrieve&_eid=1-s2.0-S0370269315009156&_mathId=si2.gif&_user=111111111&_pii=S0370269315009156&_rdoc=1&_issn=03702693&md5=af612936c94892de2098a0b323cdcab5" title="Click to view the MathML source">v2ode">, of muons from heavy-flavour hadron decays at forward rapidity (od=retrieve&_eid=1-s2.0-S0370269315009156&_mathId=si29.gif&_user=111111111&_pii=S0370269315009156&_rdoc=1&_issn=03702693&md5=048e84b72baecda5d0c5816e647b7d4d" title="Click to view the MathML source">2.5<y<4ode">) is measured in Pb–Pb collisions at od=retrieve&_eid=1-s2.0-S0370269315009156&_mathId=si1.gif&_user=111111111&_pii=S0370269315009156&_rdoc=1&_issn=03702693&md5=8065ea62e2341e638520e7e3f068a74f">ode"> with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The scalar product, two- and four-particle Q cumulants and Lee–Yang zeros methods are used. The dependence of the od=retrieve&_eid=1-s2.0-S0370269315009156&_mathId=si2.gif&_user=111111111&_pii=S0370269315009156&_rdoc=1&_issn=03702693&md5=af612936c94892de2098a0b323cdcab5" title="Click to view the MathML source">v2ode"> of muons from heavy-flavour hadron decays on the collision centrality, in the range 0–40%, and on transverse momentum, od=retrieve&_eid=1-s2.0-S0370269315009156&_mathId=si4.gif&_user=111111111&_pii=S0370269315009156&_rdoc=1&_issn=03702693&md5=ab56179a7d37d31ca4d53305b3fadf95" title="Click to view the MathML source">pTode">, is studied in the interval od=retrieve&_eid=1-s2.0-S0370269315009156&_mathId=si30.gif&_user=111111111&_pii=S0370269315009156&_rdoc=1&_issn=03702693&md5=cce0b681be6752b5db65f41f44926e99" title="Click to view the MathML source">3<pT<10 GeV/code">. A positive od=retrieve&_eid=1-s2.0-S0370269315009156&_mathId=si2.gif&_user=111111111&_pii=S0370269315009156&_rdoc=1&_issn=03702693&md5=af612936c94892de2098a0b323cdcab5" title="Click to view the MathML source">v2ode"> is observed with the scalar product and two-particle Q cumulants in semi-central collisions (10–20% and 20–40% centrality classes) for the od=retrieve&_eid=1-s2.0-S0370269315009156&_mathId=si4.gif&_user=111111111&_pii=S0370269315009156&_rdoc=1&_issn=03702693&md5=ab56179a7d37d31ca4d53305b3fadf95" title="Click to view the MathML source">pTode"> interval from 3 to about od=retrieve&_eid=1-s2.0-S0370269315009156&_mathId=si6.gif&_user=111111111&_pii=S0370269315009156&_rdoc=1&_issn=03702693&md5=fd2ebd478896cb30c84948fcd44ee05f" title="Click to view the MathML source">5 GeV/code"> with a significance larger than 3σ , based on the combination of statistical and systematic uncertainties. The od=retrieve&_eid=1-s2.0-S0370269315009156&_mathId=si2.gif&_user=111111111&_pii=S0370269315009156&_rdoc=1&_issn=03702693&md5=af612936c94892de2098a0b323cdcab5" title="Click to view the MathML source">v2ode"> magnitude tends to decrease towards more central collisions and with increasing od=retrieve&_eid=1-s2.0-S0370269315009156&_mathId=si4.gif&_user=111111111&_pii=S0370269315009156&_rdoc=1&_issn=03702693&md5=ab56179a7d37d31ca4d53305b3fadf95" title="Click to view the MathML source">pTode">. It becomes compatible with zero in the interval od=retrieve&_eid=1-s2.0-S0370269315009156&_mathId=si7.gif&_user=111111111&_pii=S0370269315009156&_rdoc=1&_issn=03702693&md5=16f93d450061906f5b7100f9724046f6" title="Click to view the MathML source">6<pT<10 GeV/code">. The results are compared to models describing the interaction of heavy quarks and open heavy-flavour hadrons with the high-density medium formed in high-energy heavy-ion collisions.