# Term for a woman who flirts to cause trouble **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 1, 2018, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-woman-who-flirts-to-cause-trouble/820600 "2018-09-01T10:36:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-woman-who-flirts-to-cause-trouble/820600/1 "2018-09-01T10:36:50Z")
I’m something like 100% sure that there’s a term for this and thought I even knew what it was, but Google is refusing to confirm. But basically, the idea is that there is a certain type of woman who actively tries to get men to fight over her, because she enjoys causing problems for people and loves to watch people harm each other. The word I thought this was spoilered, so as not to mislead others brains: firestarter Can anyone think of the actual or confirm if mine is the correct answer? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-woman-who-flirts-to-cause-trouble/820600/2 "2018-09-01T11:22:36Z")
That word isn’t in my Shorter OED (see pp. 968-969). However, ‘firebug’ is a slang term for someone with VD. ---
**Author:** ![blob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blob/32/489_2.png) [@blob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blob)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-woman-who-flirts-to-cause-trouble/820600/3 "2018-09-01T11:32:58Z")
Firebrand? Some dictionaries include a definition of a person who stirs up trouble. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-woman-who-flirts-to-cause-trouble/820600/4 "2018-09-01T12:26:56Z")
Prick-tease? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-woman-who-flirts-to-cause-trouble/820600/5 "2018-09-01T12:28:48Z")
I was thinking “femme fatale”, but that’s a bit more specific. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-woman-who-flirts-to-cause-trouble/820600/6 "2018-09-01T12:35:07Z")
“Attention whore” was the first thing that came to my mind. The term doesn’t necessarily imply flirting though. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-woman-who-flirts-to-cause-trouble/820600/7 "2018-09-01T12:49:03Z")
In my neighborhood, we use the term “Cheryl DeLucca”. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-woman-who-flirts-to-cause-trouble/820600/8 "2018-09-01T13:22:58Z")
Oh man, poor Cheryl. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-woman-who-flirts-to-cause-trouble/820600/9 "2018-09-01T13:26:23Z")
Cock teaser. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-woman-who-flirts-to-cause-trouble/820600/10 "2018-09-01T13:35:05Z")
Minx. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-woman-who-flirts-to-cause-trouble/820600/11 "2018-09-01T13:36:43Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > “Attention whore” was the first thing that came to my mind. The term doesn’t necessarily imply flirting though. Drama Queen, tease ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-woman-who-flirts-to-cause-trouble/820600/12 "2018-09-01T13:43:56Z")
Vamp: a woman who uses sexual attraction to exploit men. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-woman-who-flirts-to-cause-trouble/820600/13 "2018-09-01T13:45:05Z")
“women” ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-woman-who-flirts-to-cause-trouble/820600/14 "2018-09-01T13:50:57Z")
temptress ---
**Author:** ![BobBitchin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@BobBitchin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobBitchin)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-woman-who-flirts-to-cause-trouble/820600/15 "2018-09-01T13:52:13Z")
> [@simster](#): > > “women” 🆒😃 ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-woman-who-flirts-to-cause-trouble/820600/16 "2018-09-01T14:46:53Z")
> [@simster](#): > > “women” Modern ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-woman-who-flirts-to-cause-trouble/820600/17 "2018-09-01T14:49:14Z")
jezabel ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-woman-who-flirts-to-cause-trouble/820600/18 "2018-09-01T14:58:21Z")
> [@blob](#): > > Firebrand? Some dictionaries include a definition of a person who stirs up trouble. This was the first word to come to mind for me; the second was shit-starter. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-woman-who-flirts-to-cause-trouble/820600/19 "2018-09-01T14:58:44Z")
I think drama-queen and attention whore are more general. People that cause trouble in general and want attention in general. Tease or cock-tease doesn’t necessarily imply it’s being done for a specific purpose. She (or he) might just enjoy the power of having someone lust over them and not intend to annoy a third party. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-woman-who-flirts-to-cause-trouble/820600/20 "2018-09-01T15:00:25Z")
> [@simster](#): > > “women” **Moderator Note** Let’s refrain from misogynist comments like this. Colibri General Questions Moderator [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-woman-who-flirts-to-cause-trouble/820600.md?page=2)