The tabloid painted her as a temptress, ignoring the facts of the case.
The story's temptress offers power, comfort, and a hidden cost.
Critics argued that the film reduced its heroine to a dangerous temptress.
The legend casts the queen as a temptress who tests the hero's loyalty.
In the opera, Carmen is often staged as a proud and self-aware temptress.
Similar words
enchantress
coquette
charmer
femme fatale
seductress
vamp
siren
Meanings
Seductive or enticing woman
noun
relationships
neutral
A woman, or a personified lure in literary language, who is portrayed as enticing someone toward desire, risk, or wrongdoing.
Examples
The legend casts the queen as a temptress who tests the hero's loyalty.
Critics argued that the film reduced its heroine to a dangerous temptress.
In the opera, Carmen is often staged as a proud and self-aware temptress.
The tabloid painted her as a temptress, ignoring the facts of the case.
Adventure appears in the poem as a glittering temptress.
The story's temptress offers power, comfort, and a hidden cost.
Modern retellings often question the old image of Eve as a temptress.
Similar words
seductress
siren
femme fatale
vamp
coquette
enchantress
charmer
Etymology
Recorded from the late 1500s, from tempter plus the feminine suffix -ess. Tempter goes back through French and Latin forms tied to tempting, testing, and enticing.
FAQ
What does temptress mean?
It means a woman who is portrayed as tempting or enticing someone, often sexually or morally.
Is temptress a neutral word?
Not always. Temptress often carries judgement, especially when it suggests that a woman is dangerous or manipulative.
Can temptress describe a thing?
Yes, but usually as personification, as in a poem or story where adventure, fame, or power acts like a temptress.
What is the plural of temptress?
The plural is temptresses.
What is the difference between temptress and temptation?
A temptress is the person or personified lure, while temptation is the lure, desire, or act of being tempted.
Where does temptress come from?
It was formed from tempter plus the feminine suffix -ess, and is recorded from the late 1500s.
Comments & contributions
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