femme fatale

noun

femme fa·​tale ˌfem-fə-ˈtal 

ˌfam-,

-ˈtäl 

plural femmes fatales ˌfem-fə-ˈtal(z) 

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

Synonyms

• enchantress
• seductress
• siren
• temptress

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

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, disastrous woman

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined at sense 1