coquette

American  

[koh-ket] / koʊˈkɛt /

noun

1. a woman who flirts lightheartedly with men to win their admiration and affection; flirt.

   Synonyms:

   vamp, tease

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verb (used without object)

1. to coquet.

coquette British  

/ kɒˈkɛt, kəʊˈkɛt /

noun

1. a woman who flirts

2. any hummingbird of the genus Lophornis, esp the crested Brazilian species L. magnifica

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Gender

What's the difference between coquette and coquet? See -ette.

Other Word Forms

• coquettish adjective
• coquettishly adverb
• coquettishness noun

Etymology

Origin of coquette

First recorded in 1605–15; from French, feminine of coquet

Example Sentences

This is the note I was furiously typing on my phone during Sandy Liang’s presentation: “Girly pop, coquette, hot ticket — obviously. Bandannas!!!”

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 13, 2024

The powerful, complex female lead was a rarity in traditional music theatre, where operatic tropes were easily assimilated, such as the virginal naif, the coquette, the old shrew.

From Salon • Dec. 4, 2021

She placed a hand on each cheek, tilted her head like a stage coquette and pouted moodily.

From New York Times • Sep. 23, 2019

This early Parisienne was an accessible figure, a scrappy coquette who loved as hard as she worked.

From The New Yorker • Sep. 19, 2019

Were her words genuine, or was she only a coquette?

From The King of Schnorrers Grotesques and Fantasies by Zangwill, Israel