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

Cosmo itched so much from allergies that he constantly scratched himself raw and unleashed a howl when we were gone for too long, so loud and haunting that my neighbor thought it was a siren.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

A satisfying puzzle break: What’s a four-letter word for “Those who often hear a siren song”? Treat your brain to some delightful wordplay in today’s crossword.

From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026

"The siren has been sounded, Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place," the interior ministry said in a statement on X.

From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026

Researchers also accounted for the Doppler effect, the same phenomenon that changes the pitch of a passing ambulance siren.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026

On Sunday morning, Roald woke to the high, then low, sounds of a warning siren.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone

Elsewhere in the region, Jordan's military said late on Monday it had shot down three Iranian missiles as sirens sounded across the country warning of incoming fire.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

Tied to the mast of his ship as he and his crew pass the singing sirens, adorned on the jagged rocks at sea, Odysseus screams out with pain and desire.

From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026

Air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain, while the United Arab Emirates defence ministry said air defences were engaging missile and drone threats.

From Barron's ● Jul. 12, 2026

The immigration vehicles at the traffic stop where Salgado Araujo was killed were unmarked and didn’t have sirens, according to Garcia.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

A parrot can say anything Albert Einstein could say, as well as mimicking the sounds of phones ringing, doors slamming and sirens wailing.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari