siren English · revision 996

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈsaɪəɹən/ ''(UK)''; /ˈsaɪɹən/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|serein]], [[bor|fro|sereine]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|la-lat|Sīrēna]], from [[la|Sīrēn]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|grc|Σειρήν|tr=Seirḗn]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) perhaps literally “binder, entangler”, from ''seirá'' “cord, rope”.^(Etymonline) The sense “warning device” was borrowed in the 19th century from [[fr|sirène]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ An imaginary kind of serpent (1340), from glosses on the Latin Bible;^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995) then one of the mythical creatures who lured sailors to destruction by their singing (c. 1366).^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Medieval translations garbled the classical descriptions of the Sirens, who were often confused with mermaids.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) Figuratively a siren is one who sings sweetly, charms or deceives (1590),^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) and especially a seductive woman.^(AHD)^(RHWU) The acoustical instrument invented by Cagniard de la Tour in 1819 was named after the Sirens (1820),^(OED 1989) and from 1879 the name was given to the loud warning device of steamships,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) later to air-raid sirens and the sirens of police cars and ambulances.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1340 – an imaginary serpent.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * c. 1366 – a mythological Siren.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1568 – adjective, enticing.^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1590 – one who charms or allures.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1766 – an eel-like salamander.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1820 – an acoustical instrument.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1879 – a ship's warning signal.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(Greek mythology)'' One of a group of sea nymphs, part woman and part bird, who lured sailors to destruction on the rocks with their singing.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A seductive and beautiful woman; a [[temptress]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A device producing a loud, often wailing sound as a signal or warning, as on an ambulance or for an air raid.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Any of several eel-like [[salamander|alt=salamanders]] of North America with external gills and no hind legs.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Like that of a siren; enticing, as in ''a siren song''.^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[sirenian]]

+ * [[siren song]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mermaid]]

+ * [[lorelei]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}