coquetry

WOTD – 12 April 2007    

English

Etymology

From coquette +‎ -ry

Pronunciation

• (RP) IPA: /ˈkɒkɪtri/, /ˈkəʊkətri/
• (US) IPA: /ˈkoʊkətri/

• Audio (US)

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Noun

coquetry (plural coquetries)

1. An affectation of amorous tenderness, especially of a woman directed towards a man.
   • 1882, Louisa M. Alcott, Kitty's Class Day And Other Stories^[1]:

     The little coquetries, which are as natural to a gay young girl as her laughter, were all in full play, and had she gone no further no harm would have been done.

   • 1910, Geraldine Bonner, The Emigrant Trail^[2]:

     The mischievous pleasure of her coquetries was forgotten, and in a rush of glad confidence she felt a woman's pride in him.

   • 1913, Carolyn Wells, Patty's Social Season^[3]:

     "Her pretty little coquetries are like the gambols of a kitten.

Synonyms

• flirtation

Quotations

• For more examples of usage of this term, see the citations page.

Translations

affectation of amorous tenderness

• Finnish: keimailu (fi), flirttailu (fi)
• German: Koketterie (de) f
• Hebrew: התיפות (he) (hityafot)

• Spanish: coquetería (es) f
• Turkish: naz (tr), cilve (tr), işve (tr), eda (tr)

References

• coquetry in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• coquetry in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913