femme fatale

American  

[fem fuh-tal, -tahl, fey-, fam fa-tal] / ˌfɛm fəˈtæl, -ˈtɑl, feɪ-, fam faˈtal /

noun

PLURAL

femmes fatales

1. an irresistibly attractive woman, especially one who leads men into difficult, dangerous, or disastrous situations; siren.

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femme fatale British  

/ ˈfɛm fəˈtæl, fam fatal, -ˈtɑːl /

noun

1. an alluring or seductive woman, esp one who causes men to love her to their own distress

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Etymology

Origin of femme fatale

< French: literally, fatal woman

Example Sentences

Ultimately, the French femme fatale catches her attention for other reasons.

From Los Angeles Times

He has the tender, shining eyes of an ingenue while Del Campo, who has a striking birthmark on her cheek, is a femme fatale able to hold her own against Wolff’s selfish, useless playboy.

From Los Angeles Times

Abrasive, shallow and giddily watchable, her Wow Platinum — what a name! — twiddles her clawed fingers like a femme fatale dead certain she can charm her way to the top.

From Los Angeles Times

Her performance adds an additional layer of mystery in that it is never quite clear whether she is a manipulative femme fatale, a damsel in distress or a woman just trying to figure herself out.

From Los Angeles Times

Does Baron’s naïveté mean he is on the list of cinematic dimwits who have never seen a movie with a femme fatale?

From New York Times

Related Words

• courtesan
• temptress
• vamp