etui

or e·twee

[ey-twee, et-wee]

noun, plural e·tuis.

a small, often decorative case, especially one for needles, toilet articles, or the like.

Origin of etui

1605–15; < French étui, Old French estui holder, noun derivative of estuier to keep < Vulgar Latin *studiāre to treat with care

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for etui

Historical Examples

He stepped to his trunk, unlocked it, and took from it an etui containing a number of fans.
Frederick The Great and His Family
L. Muhlbach

British Dictionary definitions for etui

étui

noun plural étuis

a small usually ornamented case for holding needles, cosmetics, or other small articles

Word Origin

C17: from French, from Old French estuier to enclose; see tweezers

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

Word Origin and History for etui

n.

1610s, from French étui, Old French estui (12c.) "case, box, container," back-formation from estuier "put in put aside, spare; to keep, shut up, imprison," of uncertain origin.