Plural form of coquette; multiple people who flirt playfully and tease romantically without serious intent.
From French 'coquettes,' plural of 'coquette.' The plural emerged naturally as the term became common in European social discourse to describe a recognizable social type.
History books are full of famous coquettes—think of Cleopatra or Madame de Pompadour—women who weaponized flirtation and charm to wield actual political power. The word reveals how, throughout history, people (usually women) have found creative ways to gain influence when direct power was denied to them.
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