Vamp
/væmp/noun
A woman who uses her charm to seduce or exploit others; also, a vamp is the upper front part of a shoe.
Did you know?The seductive sense of *vamp* is a shortened form of *vampire*, and both ultimately trace back to Slavic words for a blood-drinking undead being, while the shoe sense comes from a completely different source: an old term for the upper part of a stocking or shoe.
Etymological Timeline
Middle English
English
vampe
“The upper part of a stocking or shoe”
16th Century
English
vamp
“The upper part of a shoe, especially the piece covering the foot”
18th Century
English
vamp
“To patch up, repair, or improvise something”
Early 20th Century
English
vamp
“A seductive woman who uses charm to entice and exploit”
Modern English
English
vamp
“A seductress; also the upper front part of a shoe”