Siren vs. Banshee — What's the Difference?

Greek Mythology One of a group of sea nymphs who by their sweet singing lured mariners to destruction on the rocks surrounding their island.

A banshee ( BAN-shee; Modern Irish bean sí, from Old Irish: ben síde [bʲen ˈʃiːðʲe], "woman of the fairy mound" or "fairy woman") is a female spirit in Irish folklore who heralds the death of a family member, usually by wailing, shrieking, or keening. Her name is connected to the mythologically important tumuli or "mounds" that dot the Irish countryside, which are known as síde (singular síd) in Old Irish.

Siren A woman regarded as irresistibly alluring.

A female spirit in Gaelic folklore believed to presage, by wailing, a death in a family.

A device in which compressed air or steam is driven against a rotating perforated disk to create a loud, often wailing sound as a signal or warning.

(Irish folklore) A female spirit, usually taking the form of a woman whose mournful wailing warns of an impending death.

An electronic device producing a similar sound as a signal or warning

(derogatory) A noisy or ill-tempered woman.

Any of several slender aquatic salamanders of the family Sirenidae of eastern North America, having external gills, small forelimbs, and no hind limbs.

A supernatural being supposed to warn a family of the approaching death of one of its members, by wailing or singing in a mournful voice, as under the windows of the house.

(Greek mythology) One of a group of nymphs who lured mariners to their death on the rocks.

(Irish folklore) a female spirit who wails to warn of impending death

One who sings sweetly and charms.

A dangerously seductive woman.

(biology) A member of an order of mammals of Sirenia.

(biology) A member of a genus of aquatic salamanders of the family Sirenidae, commonly used for all species subsumed under the family of Sirenidae.

(entomology) Any of various nymphalid butterflies of the genus Hestina.

A device, either mechanical or electronic, that makes a piercingly loud sound as an alarm or signal, or the sound from such a device (first recorded 1879).

(music) A musical instrument, one of the few aerophones in the percussion section of the symphony orchestra (patented as Acme Siren in 1895).

An instrument for demonstrating the laws of beats and combination tones.

An astrophysical event that can be used for calculating cosmic distances.

To make a noise with, or as if with, a siren.

Relating to or like a siren.

One of three sea nymphs, - or, according to some writers, of two, - said to frequent an island near the coast of Italy, and to sing with such sweetness that they lured mariners to destruction.

An enticing, dangerous woman.

Something which is insidious or deceptive.

A mermaid.

Any long, slender amphibian of the genus Siren or family Sirenidæ, destitute of hind legs and pelvis, and having permanent external gills as well as lungs. They inhabit the swamps, lagoons, and ditches of the Southern United States. The more common species (Siren lacertina) is dull lead-gray in color, and becames two feet long.

An instrument for producing musical tones and for ascertaining the number of sound waves or vibrations per second which produce a note of a given pitch. The sounds are produced by a perforated rotating disk or disks. A form with two disks operated by steam or highly compressed air is used sounding an alarm to vessels in fog.

Of or pertaining to a siren; bewitching, like a siren; fascinating; alluring; as, a siren song.

A sea nymph (part woman and part bird) supposed to lure sailors to destruction on the rocks where the nymphs lived;

A woman who is considered to be dangerously seductive

A warning signal that is a loud wailing sound

An acoustic device producing a loud often wailing sound as a signal or warning

Eel-like aquatic North American salamander with small forelimbs and no hind limbs; have permanent external gills