debut

or dé·but

[ dey-byoo, dih-, dey-byoo, deb-yoo ]

See synonyms for: debut debuted debuting on Thesaurus.com

noun

a first public appearance on a stage, on television, etc.
the first appearance of something, as a new product.

(of a young woman) a formal introduction and entrance into society, as at an annual ball.
the beginning of a profession, career, etc.

verb (used without object)

to make a debut, as in society or in a performing art: She decided to debut with several other violinists.
to appear for the first time, as on the market: A new product will debut next month.

verb (used with object)

to perform (something) for the first time before an audience: He didn't know when the orchestra would debut his new symphony.
to place on the market for the first time; introduce.

adjective

of, relating to, or constituting a first appearance: a debut performance; a debut record album.

Origin of debut

1745–55; <French début, derivative of débuter to make the first stroke in a game, make one's first appearance, equivalent to dé-de- + -buter, verbal derivative of but goal; see butt²

Words Nearby debut

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use debut in a sentence

Tegna will create a number of digital properties under the Verify brand, including a dedicated website and email newsletter projected to debut mid-Q2, said Adam Ostrow, chief digital officer at Tegna.
Why local broadcaster Tegna is making a big bet on its fact-checking vertical Verify | Sara Guaglione | February 12, 2021 | Digiday
They gave me the chance to make my debut, and I haven’t looked back.
Matthew Hoppe was a little-known American soccer player — until he reached the Bundesliga | Steven Goff | February 11, 2021 | Washington Post
The rest of that interview resurfaced after “Framing Britney Spears” debuted.
Britney Spears’s conservatorship is back in court — and back in the public eye | Ashley Fetters | February 11, 2021 | Washington Post
The soapy serial, which debuted on Netflix last month, does not shy away from intimate scenes, including newlyweds consummating their marriage.
Watching edgier TV with your kids during the pandemic? You’re not alone. | Bonnie Miller Rubin | February 11, 2021 | Washington Post
We are discussing recording artist Sia’s Golden Globe-nominated directorial debut “Music,” which will be released on video-on-demand platforms on Friday, making it viewable to a global audience.
The very real, very painful reasons the autistic community demanded two restraint scenes be removed from Sia’s new film ‘Music’ | Theresa Vargas | February 10, 2021 | Washington Post

I enjoyed it, but thought it paled in comparison to their debut.
Coffee Talk with Fred Armisen: On ‘Portlandia,’ Meeting Obama, and Taylor Swift’s Greatness | Marlow Stern | January 7, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
The brother of a girl who made her debut in New Orleans society was shaking his fists in excitement.
The Louisiana Racists Who Courted Steve Scalise | Jason Berry | January 3, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
Forty-two years after its debut, The Godfather casts a long shadow over American cinema.
The Alterna-‘Godfather’: ‘A Most Violent Year’ | Nick Schager | December 30, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
It was creative thinking like this that helped it debut at number one on Billboard Top Heatseekers Chart.
OK Go Is Helping Redefine the Music Video For the Internet Age | Lauren Schwartzberg | December 15, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
After such a barnstorming stage debut, and while “my heart is in theater,” screen acting intrigues him.
The Brit Who Stormed Broadway | Tim Teeman | December 7, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Then in 1823 she made her debut at the Opera in a trio skit with Mariette and Tullia.
Repertory Of The Comedie Humaine, Complete, A -- Z | Anatole Cerfberr and Jules Franois Christophe
Yet, if he were in very truth a prince—she thought of his debut in flowered waistcoat, panama hat, and enamelled boots!
When Valmond Came to Pontiac, Complete | Gilbert Parker
In passing we will note some other musical events of interest which occurred about the same time that Chopin made his debut.
Frederick Chopin as a Man and Musician | Frederick Niecks
Never was debut so successful, as Chloe's first appearance in Camden Place.
The Widow's Dog | Mary Russell Mitford
And to-night was the grand debut of a more remarkable phenomenon than any of the others.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXLII. Vol. LV. April, 1844 | Various

British Dictionary definitions for debut

debut

/ (ˈdeɪbjuː, ˈdɛbjuː) /

noun

- the first public appearance of an actor, musician, etc, or the first public presentation of a show
- (as modifier): debut album
the presentation of a debutante

verb(intr)

to make a debut

Origin of debut

C18: from French début, from Old French desbuter to play first (hence: make one's first appearance), from des- de- + but goal, target; see butt ²

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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