# siren

/ˈsaɪɹən/ (US) · /sˈaɪəɹən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/siren
Updated: 2026-08-18

## Senses

### 1. warning device

noun · CEFR B1

a piece of equipment that makes a very loud, high sound to warn people about danger.

For teachers: an electronic or mechanical device that emits a loud, piercing sound as a signal or alarm.

- The ambulance turned on its siren as it rushed through the heavy traffic.
- The city tested the air-raid siren every first Monday of the month to ensure the emergency broadcast system remained functional.

Usage: Often used with verbs like 'sound', 'wail', or 'go off'.

### 2. mythology

noun · CEFR B2 · Literary

in ancient Greek stories, a creature that was half-woman and half-bird who sang to trick sailors into crashing their ships.

For teachers: one of several sea nymphs in Greek mythology whose seductive singing lured mariners to destruction on the rocks.

- In the story of the Odyssey, the sailors had to block their ears to avoid the siren's song.
- The poet draws a parallel between the modern celebrity and the ancient siren, both capable of leading followers to ruin through sheer charisma.

### 3. seductive person

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary · Formal

a woman who is very attractive but also dangerous or likely to cause trouble.

For teachers: a woman regarded as dangerously seductive or tempting.

- The actress was famous for playing the role of a mysterious siren in spy movies.
- The protagonist found himself unable to resist the charms of the screen siren, despite knowing her reputation for betrayal.

### 4. astronomy

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a space event, like two stars crashing, that helps scientists measure how far away things are in the universe.

For teachers: an astrophysical event, such as a compact binary coalescence, used as a distance indicator in cosmology.

- Scientists used the gravitational waves from the siren to measure the expansion of the universe.
- The detection of a 'standard siren' provided a new, independent method for calculating the Hubble constant with high precision.

## Examples

- The ambulance turned on its siren to get through traffic.
- The city tests the air-raid siren every first Monday of the month to ensure the public remains prepared.
- As the storm approached the coastline, the distant wail of a siren signaled that residents should seek immediate shelter in the designated underground bunkers.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.