coquette

noun

co·​quette kō-ˈket How to pronounce coquette (audio)
plural coquettes
1
: a woman who endeavors without sincere affection to gain the attention and admiration of men
… the book brought to mind a true Southern coquette, flashy and sweet and alluring all at the same time.Tina Jordan
2
: any of several small, tropical American hummingbirds (genus Lophornis) with the males typically having a colorful or ornate tuft of feathers on the head
… the rufous-crested coquette, a tiny hummingbird (with a red mohawk "hair-do") that was just as … flirty as its name.Thelma Dalmas
But the tiniest of these hummers was the one that elicited the most excitement: a festive coquette, an extremely rare green-crested bird with a white rump patch, only 3 inches long.James F. McCarty
coquettish adjective
coquettishly adverb
coquettishness noun

Examples of coquette in a Sentence

She was a bit of a coquette.
Recent Examples on the Web In fashion, this means the coquette embraces all things traditionally girly. Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 June 2023 How to wear the coquette trend The coquette trend is the perfect opportunity to embrace your soft, romantic side. Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 21 Aug. 2023 Sweeney's Euphoria costar Zendaya has also stepped out in a coquette look or two, most notably at the 2023 SAG awards. Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 21 Aug. 2023 There’s also a youthful exuberance to the coquette, so feel free to finish off the room with playful accents. Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 June 2023 The coquette aesthetic, much like its namesake ('coquette' literally means 'a woman who flirts' in French), is hyperfeminine, idyllic, playful, romantic and nostalgic. Kendall Becker, refinery29.com, 25 Jan. 2023 View full post on Instagram Also in the carousel were a few 'fit checks, but our personal fav has to be her baby pink coquette look. Briannah Rivera, Seventeen, 1 June 2023 But when a brusque cynic named Frank (Drew Kopas) shows up, Célimène realizes her coquette days are over. Celia Wren, Washington Post, 4 May 2023 There's soft grunge, which incorporates the femininity of the coquette aesthetic as well as the vibe of the mid-2010s Tumblr era when The 1975 and the Arctic Monkeys reigned, and fairy grunge, an edgy yet flirty version of the aesthetic. Hannah Oh, Seventeen, 26 Jan. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coquette.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French, feminine of coquet — see coquet entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of coquette was circa 1611

Dictionary Entries Near coquette

Cite this Entry

“Coquette.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coquette. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

coquette

noun
co·​quette kō-ˈket How to pronounce coquette (audio)
: a woman who tries without sincere affection to gain the attention and admiration of men : flirt
coquettish adjective
coquettishly adverb
coquettishness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on coquette

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!