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Webster 1913 Edition

Siren

Si′ren

,
Noun.
[L., fr. Gr. [GREEK][GREEK][GREEK]: cf. F.
sirène
.]
1.
(Class. Myth.)
One of three sea nymphs, – or, according to some writers, of two, – said to frequent an island near the coast of Italy, and to sing with such sweetness that they lured mariners to destruction.
Next where the
sirens
dwell you plow the seas;
Their song is death, and makes destruction please.
Pope.
2.
An enticing, dangerous woman.
Shak.
3.
Something which is insidious or deceptive.
Consumption is a
siren
.
W. Irving.
4.
A mermaid.
[Obs.]
Shak.
5.
(Zool.)
Any long, slender amphibian of the genus
Siren
or family
Sirenidae
, destitute of hind legs and pelvis, and having permanent external gills as well as lungs. They inhabit the swamps, lagoons, and ditches of the Southern United States. The more common species (
Siren lacertina
) is dull lead-gray in color, and becames two feet long.
6.
[F.
sirène
, properly, a siren in sense 1.]
(Acoustics)
An instrument for producing musical tones and for ascertaining the number of sound waves or vibrations per second which produce a note of a given pitch. The sounds are produced by a perforated rotating disk or disks. A form with two disks operated by steam or highly compressed air is used sounding an alarm to vessels in fog.
[Written also
sirene
, and
syren
.]

Si′ren

,
Adj.
Of or pertaining to a siren; bewitching, like a siren; fascinating; alluring;
as, a
siren
song
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Siren

SIR'EN

,
Noun.
1.
A mermaid. In ancient mythology, a goddess who enticed men into her power by the charms of music, and devoured them. Hence in modern use, an enticing woman; a female rendered dangerous by her enticements. Sing, siren, to thyself, and I will dote.
2.
A species of lizard in Carolina, constituting a peculiar genus, destitute of posterior extremities and pelvis.

SIR'EN

,
Adj.
Pertaining to a siren, or to the dangerous enticements of music; bewitching; fascinating; as a siren song.

Definition 2024

Siren

Siren

See also: siren, sìrén, sīrén, and sǐrén

Translingual

Siren lacertina

Proper noun

Siren f

  1. A taxonomic genus within the family Sirenidae – the sirens, species of salamander.

Hypernyms

Hyponyms


Latin

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Ancient Greek Σειρήν ‎(Seirḗn)

Pronunciation

Noun

Sīrēn f ‎(genitive Sīrēnis); third declension

  1. a siren, one of the mythical birds with faces of virgins, that dwelt on the southern coast of Italy, where, with their sweet voices, they enticed ashore those who were sailing by, and then killed them.
  2. drone in a hive

Inflection

Third declension.

Case Singular Plural
nominative Sīrēn Sīrēnēs
genitive Sīrēnis Sīrēnum
dative Sīrēnī Sīrēnibus
accusative Sīrēnem Sīrēnēs
ablative Sīrēne Sīrēnibus
vocative Sīrēn Sīrēnēs

Derived terms

  • Sīrēnius (of or pertaining to the Sirens, Siren-)
  • Sīrēnaeus (Siren-)
  • Sīrēnis (Sīrēnidis; of the Sirens)

See also

  • semipuella

Usage notes

  • Mainly used in the plural form Sirenes ‎(“Sirens”), Greek Σειρῆνες ‎(Seirênes).

Descendants

References

siren

siren

See also: Siren, sìrén, sīrén, and sǐrén

English

Siren with lyre

Alternative forms

Noun

siren ‎(plural sirens or sirenes)

Examples
  1. (original sense) (Greek mythology) One of a group of nymphs who lured mariners to their death on the rocks.
  2. A device, either mechanical or electronic, that makes a piercingly loud sound as an alarm or signal, or the sound from such a device.
  3. A musical instrument, one of the few aerophones in the percussion section of the symphony orchestra.
  4. A dangerously seductive woman.
  5. A common name for salamanders of Siren and Sirenidae.
  6. A common name for mammals of Sirenia.

Translations

Derived terms

Verb

siren ‎(third-person singular simple present sirens, present participle sirening, simple past and past participle sirened)

  1. To make a noise with, or as if with, a siren.

Adjective

siren

  1. Relating to or like a siren.

Synonyms

References

  • Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, Springfield, Massachusetts, G.&C. Merriam Co., 1967

Anagrams

Etymology

From Latin Siren

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