siren

[ sahy-ruhn ]

/ ˈsaɪ rən /

noun

Classical Mythology. one of several sea nymphs, part woman and part bird, who lure mariners to destruction by their seductive singing.

a seductively beautiful or charming woman, especially one who beguiles men: a siren of the silver screen.

an acoustical instrument for producing musical tones, consisting essentially of a disk pierced with holes arranged equidistantly in a circle, rotated over a jet or stream of compressed air, steam, or the like, so that the stream is alternately interrupted and allowed to pass.

an implement of this kind used as a whistle, fog signal, or warning device.

any of several aquatic, eellike salamanders of the family Sirenidae, having permanent external gills, small forelimbs, and no posterior limbs.

adjective

of or like a siren.

seductive or tempting, especially dangerously or harmfully: the siren call of adventure.

verb (used without object)

to go with the siren sounding, as a fire engine.

verb (used with object)

to allure in the manner of a siren.

Words nearby siren

siracusa, siraj-ud-daula, sirdar, sire, siree, siren, sirena, sirenian, sirenic, sirenomelia, sirens

Origin of siren

1300–50; Middle English sereyn < Old French sereine < Late Latin Sīrēna, Latin Sīrēn < Greek Seirḗn

SYNONYMS FOR siren

2 seductress, temptress, vamp.

OTHER WORDS FROM siren

si·ren·like, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for sirening

siren

/ (ˈsaɪərən) /

noun

a device for emitting a loud wailing sound, esp as a warning or signal, typically consisting of a rotating perforated metal drum through which air or steam is passed under pressure

(sometimes capital) Greek myth one of several sea nymphs whose seductive singing was believed to lure sailors to destruction on the rocks the nymphs inhabited

a woman considered to be dangerously alluring or seductive
(as modifier)her siren charms

any aquatic eel-like salamander of the North American family Sirenidae, having external gills, no hind limbs, and reduced forelimbs

Word Origin for siren

C14: from Old French sereine, from Latin sīrēn, from Greek seirēn

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

siren

noun

adjective

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

Content related to siren

Words nearby siren

Origin of siren

SYNONYMS FOR siren

OTHER WORDS FROM siren

British Dictionary definitions for sirening

noun

Word Origin for siren