flirtatious — behaving in a way that shows a sexual attraction to someone but is playful rather than serious
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: behaving in a way that shows a sexual attraction to someone but is playful rather than serious
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈflɜːrteɪʃəs/
Example Sentences
- His flirtatious comments during the meeting made everyone uncomfortable.
- The cat was being flirtatious with the dog, which was quite entertaining to watch.
- She's naturally flirtatious but doesn't mean anything serious by it.
flirtatious
ADJECTIVE[/ˈflɜːrteɪʃəs/]
behaving in a way that shows a sexual attraction to someone but is playful rather than serious
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Flirtatious moves make him cautious while the crowd grows raucous!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from 16th-century French 'fleureter', originally meaning 'to flutter from flower to flower'. The metaphorical sense developed from the image of a butterfly moving between flowers, applied to a person showing romantic interest in different people in quick succession, eventually acquiring the meaning of playful or superficial flirtation.
Breakdown
fleur (flower) + -eter (to move/flutter) → flirt (to show playful romantic interest) + -atious (having the quality of), describing someone prone to flirting or behaving in a playfully alluring manner.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“His flirtatious comments during the meeting made everyone uncomfortable.”
“The cat was being flirtatious with the dog, which was quite entertaining to watch.”
“She's naturally flirtatious but doesn't mean anything serious by it.”
“Even the grandmother was flirtatious with the young waiter, making him blush.”
📚Related Words
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