Did you know?
The rooster’s cocky attitude has given him a reputation for arrogance and promiscuity. It has also given the English language several terms for people whose behavior is reminiscent of that strutting barnyard fowl. Coquetry comes to us from the French word coquetterie, which means “flirtation.” The related noun coquet also comes from French, where it is a diminutive of coq, the French word for rooster. Originally, in the 1600s, English speakers used coquet to describe men who indulged in trifling flirtations. Today, you likely won’t hear coquet used only to refer to men. Coquet can also be used interchangeably with coquette (“a flirtatious woman”), and coquetry refers to flirtation regardless of a person’s gender identity.
Synonyms
Examples of coquetry in a Sentence
Andres Picon, San Francisco Chronicle, 1 Apr. 2022
The three-inch heels that the women wear when performing the dance are visible at the bottom of the skirt—a demure bit of coquetry.
—Fernanda Pérez Sánchez, Vogue, 8 Aug. 2022
In other words, the most dizzying and most consequential storyline of Michigan’s offseason — Harbaugh’s coquetry with the Minnesota Vikings notwithstanding — is going to linger a while longer.
—Michael Cohen, Detroit Free Press, 27 July 2022
Too ashamed to start a romance with a social inferior, Diana nevertheless spitefully scuttles her underlings’ relationship and harasses Teodoro with on-again, off-again coquetry.
—Celia Wren, Washington Post, 2 Nov. 2020
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coquetry.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to coquetry
Dictionary Entries Near coquetry
Cite this Entry
“Coquetry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coquetry. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
Copy Citation
Share