siren

American  

[sahy-ruhn] / ˈsaɪ rən /

noun

• sirens
  plural

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

2. a seductively beautiful or charming woman, especially one who beguiles men.

   a siren of the silver screen.

   Synonyms:

   vamp, temptress, seductress

3. 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.

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

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

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adjective

1. of or like a siren.

2. seductive or tempting, especially dangerously or harmfully.

   the siren call of adventure.

verb (used without object)

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

verb (used with object)

1. to allure in the manner of a siren.

siren British  

/ ˈsaɪərən /

noun

1. 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

2. (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

3. 1. a woman considered to be dangerously alluring or seductive

   2. ( as modifier )

      her siren charms

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

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• sirenlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• sirens
  plural

Etymology

Origin of siren

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

Explanation

You know that loud wailing sound coming up the highway behind you? That's the siren on the police car racing along, lights flashing, chasing a speeder (not you, of course). The word comes from the Sirens in ancient Greek mythology, the women whose beautiful singing lures sailors to wreck their ships on the rocks. Remember Odysseus, in The Odyssey of Homer? He had his crew plug their ears and then tie him to the mast, so that he could hear the Siren song but not be destroyed by it. Most women won't mind if you call them a siren — meaning they're dangerously beautiful. Who'd object to that?

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

siren sirens

The constant air raids are a huge problem for businesses, many of which have to shut their doors every time a siren wails.

From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026

The interview was then interrupted by another siren.

From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026

“If I hear a siren, that might change my zen state, but for right now I don’t feel any different.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

“If there’s a sudden wave of positive Brilliant Earth content on here, it might not be coincidental,” a moderator warned the community, adding a siren emoji to the post.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Then, in the predawn hours of September 1, 1939, an air-raid siren jolted me out of sleep.

From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson

But so are the sirens, in many tellings, along with the sea monsters Scylla and Charybdis.

From Salon ● Sep. 3, 2026

Head teacher Dawadi says better warning systems, including sirens and evacuation alerts, could have helped residents respond sooner.

From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026

A local resident, who did not wish to be named, said she heard sirens overnight and saw the aftermath of the incident being live-streamed on social media.

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026

In another official building across town, violin notes mixed with air raid sirens.

From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026

A whine of sirens echoed from far away.

From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn