adventuress
adventuress Lexical Profile
adventuress Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A woman who seeks social advancement, wealth, or position through unscrupulous, daring, or opportunistic means (often dated or derogatory).
"In nineteenth-century novels, the charming newcomer was frequently portrayed as a calculating adventuress."
A female adventurer; a woman who seeks out or engages in exciting, hazardous, or unusual experiences and explorations.
"The fearless adventuress documented her solo trek across the desert in a series of bestselling memoirs."
Word Nuance & Usage
Unlike the gender-neutral noun 'adventurer', which carries positive connotations of boldness and exploration, 'adventuress' has historically carried a strong pejorative nuance referring to an opportunistic woman who uses questionable means for financial or social gain.
• Rhymes for adventuress
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the early 18th century from 'adventure' (from Old French 'aventure', ultimately from Latin 'adventura', meaning 'things about to happen') combined with the feminine agent suffix '-ess'.