debutante
Americannoun
noun
-
a young woman of upper-class background who is presented to society, usually at a formal ball
-
a girl or young woman regarded as being upper-class, wealthy, and of a frivolous or snobbish social set
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of debutante
1795–1805; < French; feminine of débutant debutant
Explanation
A debutante is usually a wealthy girl whose parents wish to introduce her to society in a BIG way — in "a debutante ball" that looks like something out of a scene from Gone with the Wind. In the United States, debutante balls usually, but not always, take place in the South and are a way to introduce wealthy young women to especially eligible young bachelors. The word debutante is derived from the French word debut, meaning “a first performance or showing.” The original French word debutante referred to a new actress making her first appearance on the stage. So, think of a debutante as a young woman making her debut in society.
Vocabulary lists containing debutante
Native Son
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The Downstairs Girl
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You Should See Me in a Crown
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It made up for missed teenage rites of passage — the senior prom, the homecoming dance, the debutante ball — by doubling down on sentimentality.
From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026
And in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, veteran politician MK Stalin was trailing, challenged by a political debutante -- film star C. Joseph Vijay.
From Barron's ● May 4, 2026
Mr. Bessent went from boarding schools and debutante balls to serious financial distress and spent a portion of his childhood in the guest house of his ancestral home.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026
As a beautiful, wealthy debutante, Katharine was introduced to many of the most eligible young men of the 1950s - and she met Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, a grandson of George V.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2025
I’ll get to go to debutante balls and dinner parties, but the best part will be volunteering for local organizations that work with children.
From "Betty Before X" by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
