Dictionary.com

retroussé

[ re-troo-sey; French ruh-troo-sey ]
/ ˌrɛ truˈseɪ; French rə truˈseɪ /
Save This Word!

adjective
(especially of the nose) turned up.
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Question 1 of 7
Which sentence is correct?

Origin of retroussé

1830–40; <French, past participle of retrousser,Middle French, equivalent to re-re- + trousser to turn, tuck up; see truss
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use retroussé in a sentence

  • She wasn't handsome, but she certainly was pretty, even though her nose was retrousse;, which is French for pug.

  • She asked her uncle who was that pretty girl with a nez retrousse.

  • His nose was short and retrousse, and his ears were rather prominent; but he was bright and attractive.

    The Financier|Theodore Dreiser
  • “Do let me have the mug,” implored Miss Burgoyne: she was a pretty little brunette with a nez retrousse.

    Not Like Other Girls|Rosa N. Carey

British Dictionary definitions for retroussé

retroussé
/ (rəˈtruːseɪ, French rətruse) /

adjective
(of a nose) turned up

Word Origin for retroussé

C19: from French retrousser to tuck up; see truss
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
FEEDBACK