What does coquettish mean?
Coquettish is an adjective describing behavior that is playfully flirtatious — smiling, glancing, or teasing in a way meant to attract attention or admiration without any serious romantic commitment. It comes from the French coquette, ultimately rooted in coq ('rooster'), so the image behind the word is of someone strutting and preening like a showy cockerel. In modern English it most often appears in descriptions of a coquettish smile, glance, or manner, frequently in fiction, journalism, and film criticism. The word carries a mixed connotation: at best it suggests charm, wit, and lighthearted allure; at worst it implies affectation or calculated insincerity. It is somewhat more common in British writing and has a slightly literary, old-fashioned flavor compared with casual terms like 'flirty'. Its adverbial form is coquettishly.
adjectiveBehaving or looking in a playfully flirtatious manner, especially in a way intended to attract attention or admiration without serious intent.
- Playfully flirtatious in manner or appearance, especially to attract admiration without serious intent.
- (Extended use) Lightly teasing or coyly evasive, applied humorously to people or things behaving as if flirting.
"She gave him a coquettish smile before turning back to her book."
"He raised an eyebrow with a coquettish tilt of his head."
"The actress delivered the line with a coquettish laugh that charmed the whole audience."
The word traces back to French 'coq' — a rooster — because a flirt was imagined as strutting and preening like a barnyard cock showing off for hens.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of coquettish
Coquettish derives from French coquet (of a man) and coquette (of a woman), meaning a flirt, which itself developed from coq, 'rooster' — the strutting bird serving as an emblem of vain display. The adjective entered English in the seventeenth century alongside the nouns coquette and coquetry, all borrowed directly from French. Related words sharing the French root include cockade, the rosette worn on a hat, which likewise traces to coq.
Related word forms
How coquettish is actually used
Most often used of women, though it can describe anyone; it carries a mildly playful, slightly old-fashioned literary register rather than everyday slang. It can be complimentary (charming) or faintly critical (insincere, manipulative) depending on context.
Easily confused with coquettish
A coquette is a noun meaning a flirtatious woman, whereas coquettish is the adjective describing behavior that resembles hers.