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Meaning & use

come-hither

adjective·Advancedinformalhumorous

Last updated

UK/ˌkʌm ˈhɪðə/
US/ˌkʌm ˈhɪðər/

Meaning

  1. adjectivebefore a nouninformalhumorous

    Inviting or flirtatious, suggesting that someone should come closer, usually describing a look or smile.

    Grammar: Used before a noun, mostly look, smile or glance: a come-hither look.

    Patterns

    • a come-hither look
    • a come-hither smile

    He gave her a come-hither smile across the crowded room.

    The actress cast a come-hither glance at the camera.

    The cat gave the dog a come-hither look, then pounced.

Common combinations

come-hither look
The portrait showed a come-hither look.
come-hither smile
A come-hither smile spread across her face.
come-hither glance
He tossed a come-hither glance over his shoulder.
come-hither eyes
The singer had come-hither eyes.
come-hither gesture
A come-hither gesture of her finger brought him over.

Synonyms and how they differ

flirtatious
Flirtatious describes the general manner of someone who flirts, whereas come-hither describes one inviting look or gesture.
seductive
Seductive is stronger and more serious, while come-hither is light and often humorous.
inviting
Inviting is the broad word for anything that attracts a person, and it need not be romantic.
beckoning
Beckoning describes a signal to come over, but it need not carry the playful romantic hint of come-hither.

Opposites

coldunwelcoming

Word family

hither adverb
an old word meaning to this place
come verb
to move toward the speaker

Commonly confused: come-hither or hither and thither?

come-hither vs hither and thither

Hither and thither means here and there. It describes movement in all directions, not a flirtatious look.

Practice

Which noun is most natural after come-hither?

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