noun
lorelei
LAW-ruh-leye
noun
1
A woman viewed as dangerously alluring, like the legendary siren said to lure sailors to their doom.
"She played the lorelei in the film, drawing men into ruin with her charm."
name
1
A female given name of German origin.
"Lorelei grew up near the Rhine, close to the rock that shares her name."
How to Use Lorelei
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA seductive, dangerous woman (from German legend), or a given name inspired by the same story.
Easily confused with
Word Forms
loreleis plural
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Etymology
From the Lorelei, a rock cliff on the Rhine river in Germany said in legend to be haunted by a siren who lured sailors to their deaths.