femme fatale

[fem fuh-tal, -tahl, fey-, fam fa-tal]

noun

plural

femmes fatales 

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

femme fatale

/ ˈfɛm fəˈtæl, fam fatal, -ˈtɑːl /

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of femme fatale¹

< French: literally, fatal woman

Word History and Origins

Origin of femme fatale¹

fatal woman

Example Sentences

Ultimately, the French femme fatale catches her attention for other reasons.

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Anderson, who had a buzz-worthy turn in “The Last Showgirl” earlier this year, stars as femme fatale Beth Davenport.

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Dakota Johnson is my favorite seductress, a femme fatale of a flavor that didn’t exist until she invented it.

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He has the tender, shining eyes of an ingenue while Del Campo, who has a striking birthmark on her cheek, is a femme fatale able to hold her own against Wolff’s selfish, useless playboy.

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Abrasive, shallow and giddily watchable, her Wow Platinum — what a name! — twiddles her clawed fingers like a femme fatale dead certain she can charm her way to the top.

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Related Words

• courtesan 
• temptress 
• vamp