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Glite Dictionary
deb

deb

55 9.9
A young woman from a wealthy family who makes her first public appearance at a formal ball
  • noun
  • /dɛb/
  • Archaic
translation icon : debutante
  • As a debutante, she felt excited to be presented to society at the grand ball, just like every other deb that night.
  • post-deb

Examples

  • These included Brenda Frazier, the 1938 deb of the season.

    Academic text (1997)

  • On whose arm will I come out at the Sub-Deb Dance?

    Academic text (1991)

  • No, but debs are... they're carefully scrutinized.

    Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997)

  • Deb Brzoska is the fine arts coordinator in Vancouver, Washington, a small school district of seventeen thousand students.

    Academic text (1993)

  • Wearing an elegant gown, the deb made a stunning entrance, capturing everyone's attention at the charity event.

  • The city was filled with anticipation as the latest crop of debs prepared for their first society gala.

Synonyms

debutante
vsdeb
27 8.4

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

is the shorter informal label for the same social introduction
debutant
vsdeb
8.0

A young person who receives a formal introduction to society at a special ball

is specifically an upper-class young woman making a formal social entrance

Surface Forms

deb singular
debs plural

Etymology

Deb is short for debutante, which comes from the French debut meaning 'beginning' or 'first appearance'. So a deb is a young woman making her first formal appearance in society, which is why the word means a young woman presented to society.