Standard Lemma guide

illecebrous

adj · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /ɪˈlɛsɪbɹəs/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Tending to attract; enticing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: formal, obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: alluring, attractive, illecebrose, illective, appealing, appetizing, attracting, bewitching, captivating, charming, coying, desirable, enchanting, engaging, enticing, enticive, exciting, fascinating, fetching, heart-throbbing, illecebrous, inviting, prepossessing, seducing, seductive, taking, tempting, witching, winning, winsome

Antonyms: repulsive, unalluring, unattractive, unenticing

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin and Latin illecebrōsus (“attractive, enticing”) + English -ous (suffix forming adjectives denoting possession or presence of a quality, commonly in abundance). Illecebrōsus is derived from illecebra (“enticement, lure”) + -ōsus (suffix forming adjectives meaning ‘full of’); illecebra from illiciō (“to entice, seduce”) (from in- (prefix meaning ‘in, within’) + laciō (“to ensnare, entice”)) + -bra (suffix forming nouns denoting an instrument).