vivandière

[ vee-vahn-dyair; French vee-vahn-dyer ]

noun

1. a woman who formerly followed an army or maintained a store on an army post to sell provisions to the soldiers.

vivandière

/ vivɑ̃djɛr /

noun

1. (formerly) a female sutler or victualler offering extra provisions and spirits to soldiers, esp those of the French and British armies

Word History and Origins

Origin of vivandière¹

First recorded in 1845–50; from French vivandière, feminine of vivandier, from Italian (masculine) vivandiere “sutler”; viand ( def ), -ier ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of vivandière¹

C16: see viand

Example Sentences

Met-à-Mort had nominated himself captain of the brigands, and chose Georgette for his vivandière.

From Project Gutenberg

At Neuilly, a vivandière is wounded in the head; she turns back a moment to staunch the blood, then returns to her post of danger.

From Project Gutenberg

He wins the heart of Catherine, a Cossack maiden, who has taken up her quarters there as a kind of vivandière.

From Project Gutenberg

I fancy Lady Moyne would look well as vivandière,” I said, “marching in front of an ambulance waggon with a red cross on it.

From Project Gutenberg

On her recovery, she still accompanied the army, as a vivandière, in which capacity she was extremely popular.

From Project Gutenberg