Allure

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /əˈlʊɚ/

Definitions

1. The magnetic appeal that entices individuals towards something A captivating charm or quality that holds significant intrigue The beguiling nature that creates an irresistible attraction to others
2. An appealing quality that draws attention and interest ; to attract or tempt someone with a pleasing or fascinating quality
3. A characteristic that invites admiration and desire ; to cause interest or temptation through charm or appeal

Etymology: The most surprising thing about "allure" is that it has two separate origins that ended up in one spelling. The verb sense traces to Old French "aleurer," built from "a" (meaning "to" or "towards," from Latin "ad") and "leurre," meaning "lure," the bait used to call a hawk back to the falconer's fist. To allure, then, was originally to draw someone in with bait, much as a falconer tempts a bird. The noun has a different ancestry. It comes from Old French "alure" or "aleure," meaning "walk" or "gait," itself formed from "aler," "to go," with the suffix "-ure." Its earliest sense was a way of moving or carrying oneself, and the idea of an attractive manner of walking eventually grew into the modern sense of a pleasing, drawing quality. The two streams merged in Middle English, where forms such as "aluren" and "alour" appear, and the verb and noun have been used side by side ever since.

Synonyms: attract, charm, fascinate, entice, tempt

Antonyms: repel, disgust, deter, avert, alienate