femme fatale

American  

[fem fuh-tal, -tahl, fey-, fam fa-tal] / ˌfɛm fəˈtæl, -ˈtɑl, feɪ-, fam faˈtal /

noun

plural

femmes fatales

1. an irresistibly attractive woman, especially one who leads men into difficult, dangerous, or disastrous situations; siren.

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femme fatale British  

/ ˈfɛm fəˈtæl, fam fatal, -ˈtɑːl /

noun

1. an alluring or seductive woman, esp one who causes men to love her to their own distress

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Etymology

Origin of femme fatale

< French: literally, fatal woman

Example Sentences

But facts were easily eclipsed by lurid speculation, particularly when Short’s nickname was made public: The Black Dahlia was, after all, the perfect moniker for a femme fatale.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

Her performance adds an additional layer of mystery in that it is never quite clear whether she is a manipulative femme fatale, a damsel in distress or a woman just trying to figure herself out.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2024

Was I acting like a male or femme fatale?

From Seattle Times • Aug. 4, 2023

“Long blond hair, padded shoulders — that entire femme fatale look, which I was a complete ham for.”

From New York Times • Apr. 7, 2023

The femme fatale must be back, Veronica Lake slinks again.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

Related Words

• courtesan
• temptress
• vamp