Standard Lemma guide

tempter

noun · 2 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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1

noun

Meaning 1

Someone or something that tempts, especially a man that tempts.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • (obsolete)
  • He is a tempter of married women.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: seducer, inciter, solicitor

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a person who tempts others

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Satan is the great tempter of mankind

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: person, individual, someone, somebody, mortal, soul

History

Etymology

From Middle English tempter, temptere, temptour, temptoure, from Old French tempter, temptere, tenteor, Anglo-Norman tempteour, temptur and Middle English tempten (“to tempt”); equivalent to tempt + -er.

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: изкусител (izkusitel) — Someone that tempts
  • Catalan: temptador — Someone that tempts
  • Catalan: temptadora — Someone that tempts
  • French: tentateur — Someone that tempts
  • German: Verführer — Someone that tempts
  • German: Versucher — Someone that tempts
  • Italian: tentatore — Someone that tempts
  • Old English: costere — Someone that tempts
  • Polish: kusiciel — Someone that tempts
  • Bulgarian: съблазнител (sǎblaznitel) — Male seducer
  • Catalan: seductor — Male seducer
  • Polish: uwodziciel — Male seducer