Behaving in a playfully flirtatious way; acting with calculated charm to attract attention or admiration without serious romantic intent.
From 'coquette' plus the suffix '-ish,' meaning 'having the nature or qualities of.' The term emerged in the 18th century to describe both personality traits and behaviors associated with coquetry.
Fashion and 'coquettish' behavior are historically linked—things like fans, fans, and over-the-shoulder glances became coquettish signals in 18th-century salons, giving coquettes an actual 'language' of flirtation that everyone understood. It's basically the historical version of emoji-based texting.
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