Mata Hari

American  

[mah-tuh hahr-ee, mat-uh har-ee] / ˈmɑ tə ˈhɑr i, ˈmæt ə ˈhær i /

noun

1. Gertrud Margarete Zelle, 1876–1917, Dutch dancer in France: executed as a spy by the French.

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Mata Hari British  

/ ˈmɑːtə ˈhɑːrɪ /

noun

1. real name Gertrud Margarete Zelle. 1876–1917, Dutch dancer in France, who was executed as a German spy in World War I

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Mata Hari Cultural  

1. A Dutch spy who worked for both the French and the Germans during World War I. The French executed her in 1917.

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Discover More

A “Mata Hari” is a seductive, double-dealing woman.

Example Sentences

González did learn about Stewart’s life and work, as well as other women in the SOE, including Virginia Hall, Nancy Wake and Mata Hari.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2024

Did Mata Hari try to blackmail Wilson after seducing him?

From Washington Post • Dec. 20, 2021

A string of films from the late 1920s on were inspired by the story too, most notably Dishonored, starring Marlene Dietrich, and of course Mata Hari, with Greta Garbo in the title role.

From The Guardian • Aug. 9, 2019

Rooms, with names like Saint-Pétersbourg, Marco Polo and Mata Hari, are flamboyant, furnished to reflect their inspirations.

From New York Times • Sep. 20, 2018

I meant to give her a Night Out, but when I picture this scenario it makes me think of Mata Hari on a mission.

From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein