Lorelei

American  

[lawr-uh-lahy, loh-ruh-lahy] / ˈlɔr əˌlaɪ, ˈloʊ rəˌlaɪ /

noun

1. a quasilegendary nymph of the Rhine who lured sailors to shipwreck on her rock by singing: a creation of Clemens Brentano in a poem of 1800.

2. a female given name.

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Lorelei British  

/ ˈlɒrəˌlaɪ /

noun

1. (in German legend) a siren, said to dwell on a rock at the edge of the Rhine south of Koblenz, who lures boatmen to destruction

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Etymology

Origin of Lorelei

< German, variant of Lurlei, cliff overlooking the Rhine, thought to be the abode of a nymph

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Lorelei

In the tradition of songwriters like Matthew Sweet, Neil Finn and Andy Partridge of XTC, Nate Amos of This Is Lorelei is a master of musical structure who writes with mathematical precision.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

“This is analogous to permitting a shopping center,” said Lorelei Oviatt, Kern County’s director of planning and natural resources.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2024

In addition to reflections about the medium itself, Lorelei contains traces of postmodern novels and the cinema of the French New Wave.

From New York Times ● May 15, 2024

Lorelei Mathias said: "It's already like a Herculean task to get your medication."

From BBC ● Feb. 22, 2024

I kept on writing love notes from Lorelei Lumley to slip into Cap’s locker.

From "Schooled" by Gordon Korman