Coquettishness

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The trait of playful flirtation involves teasingly attracting attention while exhibiting a charming demeanor and romantic allure
2. A manner of behavior that is both flirtatious and playful, designed to entice others and draw romantic interest
3. The quality of being flirtatiously teasing combines playful charm with a deliberate intention to attract romantic attention

Etymology: Coquettishness is a plain English compound built in two stages. The core is "coquette," borrowed from French, where "coquette" (a flirt, literally a woman who acts like a coquette, from "coq," rooster) entered English as a noun for a flirtatious woman. English then added "-ish," an adjective-forming suffix with ancient Germanic roots, giving "coquettish," meaning like a coquette. Finally "-ness," a suffix that turns adjectives into abstract nouns and traces back through Old English to the same Germanic stock, produced "coquettishness" as the name for the quality itself.

Synonyms: flirtatiousness, femininity

Antonyms: seriousness