English Explanatory Dictionary

painted Jezebel

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A Jezebel; an evil, scheming, shameless or immoral woman, especially one who uses physical attractiveness to evil ends.
  2. Delias hyparete, a species of butterfly of the family Pieridae.

Word forms

painted Jezebel painted Jezebels

Etymology

From Jezebel, the Phoenician princess and Queen of Ancient Israel who appears in the Old Testament (1 Kings). She incited heresy and lured the Jews away from their God and back to idols. Before her death, knowing that she was soon to be slain, she took the time to fix her hair and paint her face. From the 16th century, some people believed that makeup was worn only by immoral women; hence the wearing of makeup implied immorality.

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