Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “temptress” come from?

Temptress derives from English tempt, which comes from Latin temptāre, a verb meaning to test or try, ultimately from Latin tenēre meaning to hold.

temptress (English): An alluring woman who seduces or exploits men; A...

Definitions

  1. An alluring woman who seduces or exploits men; A...

Ancestry of “temptress”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1English-essSuffix appended to words to make a female...
2French-esseused to form nouns describing the condition of...
3Italian-essa-ess
4Portuguese-esafeminine singular of -ês
5Spanish-esafeminine singular of -és
6Spanish-ésForms nouns and adjectives of nationality;...
7Spanishpolíticapolitics; policy; female equivalent of político
8Spanishpolíticopolitical; in-law; politician
9Latinpolīticus—
10Swedishpolitiskpolitical, having to do with politics
11Swedishpolitikpolitics
12Ancient Greekπολιτικόςcivic, constitutional, public; social
13Ancient Greekπολῑ́τηςcitizen
14Ancient Greekπόλιςcity; a whole country, as dependent on and called...
15Proto-Hellenicptóliscity
16Proto-Indo-EuropeantpólHis—
17Proto-Indo-EuropeantpelH-fortification, city
Every word from Proto-Indo-European tpelH- →