tutu

¹ American  

[too-too, ty-ty] / ˈtu tu, tüˈtü /

noun

plural

tutus

1. a short, full skirt, usually made of several layers of tarlatan or tulle, worn by ballerinas.

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Tutu ² American  

[too-too] / ˈtu tu /

noun

1. Desmond (Mpilo) 1931–2021, South African Anglican clergyman and civil rights activist: Nobel Peace Prize 1984; archbishop of Cape Town 1986–96.

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Tutu ¹ British  

/ ˈtuːtuː /

noun

1. Desmond . born 1931, South African clergyman, noted for his opposition to apartheid: Anglican Bishop of Johannesburg (1984–86) and Archbishop of Cape Town (1986–96); in 1995 he became leader of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, established to investigate human rights violations during the apartheid era. Nobel peace prize 1984

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tutu ² British  

/ ˈtuːtuː /

noun

1. a very short skirt worn by ballerinas, made of projecting layers of stiffened sheer material

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tutu ³ British  

/ ˈtuːtuː /

noun

1. a shrub, Coriaria arborea , of New Zealand, having seeds that are poisonous to farm animals

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Etymology

Origin of tutu

Borrowed into English from French around 1925–30

Example Sentences

There is also a costume inspired by crinoline, the stiff or structured petticoat designed to hold out a skirt or tutu, but whimsically reimagined using neoprene.

From Barron's

The one truth about managing Celtic, or any other team with high demands, is that, if you are a winning manager, you can turn up in a tutu.

From BBC

The woman scooped an armful of tutus from a bin and dumped them in Penelope’s arms.

From Literature

"And then," she told The Breakfast Club, "I went to school in a tutu and I started doing music."

From BBC

The tutu — it’s a tulle skirt, actually – was Field’s way of presenting an alternative to sweatpants.

From Salon

Related Words

• dress
• kilt
• petticoat
• sarong