coquettishly
UK[kɒˈketɪʃli]US[koʊˈketɪʃli]
adv
in a flirtatious or teasing manner intended to attract attention or admiration.
Morpheme Breakdown
coquet
tish
ly
coquet
to flirt
tish
adjective suffix
ly
adverb suffix
Etymology
the word 'coquettishly' has its playful heart in the french 'coq', meaning 'rooster', a bird known for its strutting and showy behavior. the diminutive 'coquet' came to describe a flirtatious man, and the verb 'coqueter' meant 'to act like a flirt'. borrowed into english as 'coquet', the word gained the adjectival suffix '-tish' to form 'coquettish', describing someone with flirtatious tendencies. finally, the standard english adverbial suffix '-ly' was added, creating 'coquettishly' to describe the manner of acting with playful, alluring charm.
Analysis
Structure: coquet (to flirt) + tish (adjective suffix) + ly (adverb suffix)
coquet (from french 'coqueter', meaning 'to flirt', itself from 'coquet', a diminutive of 'coq', meaning 'rooster'); tish (english adjectival suffix forming adjectives implying a characteristic or tendency, from old english '-isc'); ly (english adverbial suffix forming adverbs from adjectives, from old english '-lice').
Examples
she glanced at him coquettishly from behind her fan.
the dancer moved coquettishly across the stage, captivating the audience.
he answered the question with a coquettishly evasive smile.