femme fatale

noun

femme fa·​tale ˌfem-fə-ˈtal How to pronounce femme fatale (audio)
ˌfam-,
-ˈtäl How to pronounce femme fatale (audio)
plural femmes fatales ˌfem-fə-ˈtal(z) How to pronounce femme fatale (audio)
ˌfam-,
-ˈtäl(z)
1
: a seductive woman who lures men into dangerous or compromising situations
2
: a woman who attracts men by an aura of charm and mystery

Examples of femme fatale in a Sentence

an actress who was often cast as cynical, sexy femmes fatales
Recent Examples on the Web Catherine is a femme fatale, and Jonathan is her unwitting prey. Ben Travers, IndieWire, 18 Oct. 2024 This squinty vantage on Southern California, as a temptress who dashes hopes, also was evident in his script for Tequila Sunrise (1988), which starred Mel Gibson as a retired drug dealer, Kurt Russell as a cop and Michelle Pfeiffer as the femme fatale. Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019 While specifics as to the film’s plot haven’t been disclosed, it’s described as a femme fatale thriller set in a luxury resort on Mexico’s Mayan Riviera. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2024 So much so that some actual femme fatale villains have served as inspiration for dark feminine glam. Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 17 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for femme fatale 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'femme fatale.' 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, literally, disastrous woman

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of femme fatale was in 1879

Dictionary Entries Near femme fatale

Cite this Entry

“Femme fatale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/femme%20fatale. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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