Teaser
/ˈtiːzər/noun
A person or thing that arouses curiosity, provokes interest, or playfully annoys.
Did you know?The verb behind “teaser” originally referred to pulling apart and combing wool fibers, before developing its modern meanings of provoking, flirting, and withholding information.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic period
Proto-Germanic
*taisōną
“To pull apart or separate fibers; a reconstructed ancestor associated with teasing wool.”
Old English
Old English
tǣsan
“To pull, pluck, or comb apart, especially fibers such as wool.”
Middle English, 14th century
Middle English
tesen / teisen
“To card or comb wool; later, to irritate or torment by provoking.”
Early Modern English, 16th–17th centuries
English
tease
“To torment, annoy, or deliberately provoke; also to comb out fibers.”
18th century
English
teaser
“An agent noun: a person who teases or provokes.”
20th century
Modern English
teaser
“A brief, curiosity-provoking preview, advertisement, clue, or playful provocation.”