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Glite Dictionary
🌟 First-time performer 👗 Society newcomer
debutant

debutant

8.0
A young person who receives a formal introduction to society at a special ball
  • noun
  • /ˈdeɪbjuˌtɑ̃/
translation icon : debutante
  • They want me to go to Buckingham Palace to be presented to the Queen as a debutant so I can be married off.

Examples

  • At the charity gala, the debutant wore an elegant gown and gracefully greeted the guests.

  • So right, you had, you had given your parents the dress rehearsal or not the dress rehearsal, but the sort of debutant ball with all of the fears and concerns.

  • After months of preparations, Lucy finally made her debut as a debutant at the grand ball.

  • As a debutant, Emma looked stunning in her white dress as she was introduced to high society.

Synonyms

deb
vsdebutant
  • Archaic
55 9.9

A young woman from a wealthy family who makes her first public appearance at a formal ball

is used for any young person, not limited to women
debutante
vsdebutant
27 8.4

A young woman from a rich family introduced to society at a formal ball

is gender neutral, covering young people not only women

Surface Forms

debutant singular
debutants plural

Morphology

debutant = debut (semi-transparent) = debut + ant

Formally derived from 'debut' + '-ant', but the specialized social meaning (a young person, esp. a young woman, presented at a ball) is culturally specific and not fully predictable from the base.

Etymology

Debutant comes from the French début 'beginning', and a simple way to remember it is to think of a debut as a first show; a debutant is a young person who makes their 'first appearance' at a formal ball or during a society introduction.