- delightful; lovely; entrancing
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
rav•ish•ing /ˈrævɪʃɪŋ/USA pronunciation
adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- extremely beautiful or attractive:a ravishing blonde.
rav•ish•ing
(rav′i shing),USA pronunciation adj.
rav′ish•ing•ly, adv.
- extremely beautiful or attractive;
enchanting;
entrancing.
- 1300–50; Middle English; see ravish, -ing1
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
ravishing /ˈrævɪʃɪŋ/ adj
rav•ish /ˈrævɪʃ/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object]
rav•ish•ment, n. [uncountable]See -rape-.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to fill with strong emotion, esp. joy:an art exhibit that ravishes the eye.
- to rape.
rav•ish•ment, n. [uncountable]See -rape-.
rav•ish
(rav′ish),USA pronunciation v.t.
rav′ished•ly, adv.
rav′ish•er, n.
- to fill with strong emotion, esp. joy.
- to seize and carry off by force.
- to carry off (a woman) by force.
- to rape (a woman).
- Middle French raviss-, long stem of ravir to seize
Latin rapere; see rape1 - Middle English ravishen 1250–1300
rav′ish•er, n.
- 1. enrapture, transport, enthrall, delight, captivate.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
ravish /ˈrævɪʃ/ vb (transitive)
- (often passive) to give great delight to; enrapture
- to rape
- archaic to carry off by force