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

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

Then you go in, and there’s a lot of other little kids, and you’re all wearing tutus — that’s how they get you.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• dress
• kilt
• petticoat
• sarong