etui
noun
a small, often decorative case, especially one for needles, toilet articles, or the like.
etui
American
[ay-twee, et-wee]
/ eɪˈtwi, ˈɛt wi /
Or
etwee
noun
-
etuis
plural
étui
British
/ ɛˈtwiː /
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of etui
1605–15; < French étui, Old French estui holder, noun derivative of estuier to keep < Vulgar Latin *studiāre to treat with care
Vocabulary lists containing etui
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.
See Examples For:
On the other hand, Bach is a disarming small-talker; a rememberer of birthdays; a collector of personal factoids he jots onto slips of paper and carries in an etui for later use.
From New York Times ● Jul. 20, 2021
She went quickly up to him with the open etui.
From Joseph II. and His Court by L. (Luise) Mühlbach
I sent for my cases, and find my chain of diamonds, my gold etui set with diamonds, my Turkish clasp with emeralds, and other things disappeared with my Venus.
From The Ladies A Shining Constellation of Wit and Beauty by L. Adams (Lily Adams) Beck
The watches worn by respectable people in Al-Hijaz are almost a1ways old silver pieces, of the turnip shape, with hunting cases and an outer etui of thick leather.
From Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah — Volume 1 by Sir Richard Francis Burton
"What think you I have in this etui, dear?" she said, coming forward, and bending over her son to bestow a kiss.
From Joseph II. and His Court by L. (Luise) Mühlbach
His sword was placed on the pinnacle of the minaret built by the Imám Abu Ahmad bin Abi Bakr enclosed in a golden étui studded with pearls and precious stones.
From The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 06 by Sir Richard Francis Burton
"Gháshiyah"=lit. an étui, a cover; and often a saddle-cover carried by the groom.
From The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 04 by Sir Richard Francis Burton
When the Grand Duke entered he had in his hand an étui containing the decoration, intending to hang it around Moltke's neck himself.
From The Sunny Side of Diplomatic Life, 1875-1912 by L. de (Lillie de) Hegermann-Lindencrone
“Then fly,” said Four Hair-Brushes, languidly, lighting a cigarette, which he took from a diamond-studded gold étui, the gift of the Kaiser in old days.
From Essays in Little by Andrew Lang
The etymology of tweezers can best be made clear by starting from French étui, a case, of doubtful origin.
From The Romance of Words (4th ed.) by Ernest Weekley
Close by stood the toilet of gold with its wilderness of jewels and etuis, all the gifts of the empress.
From Joseph II. and His Court by L. (Luise) Mühlbach
Now, I count here twenty-four etuis, and they are filled with the choicest trinkets.
From Louisa of Prussia and Her Times by L. (Luise) Mühlbach
Conrad opened the drawer of the large writing-table which was standing close to Haydn, and which contained a great many large and small etuis, caskets and boxes.
From Andreas Hofer by L. (Luise) Mühlbach
The Moors and the Negroes, have an extraordinary respect for these priests, who manufacture leather, into little etuis, perfumed bags, and pocketbooks, to which they give the name of gris-gris.
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.
