vivandière

American  

[vee-vahn-dyair, vee-vahn-dyer] / ˌvi vɑnˈdjɛər, vi vɑ̃ˈdjɛr /

noun

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

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vivandière British  

/ vivɑ̃djɛr /

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of vivandière

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vivandière

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

From The Strand Magazine, Volume V, Issue 28, April 1893 An Illustrated Monthly by Newnes, George

The scene of 'La Fille du Régiment' is laid in the Tyrol, where Tonio, a peasant, has had the good fortune to save the life of Marie, the vivandière of a French regiment.

From The Opera A Sketch of the Development of Opera. With full Descriptions of all Works in the Modern Repertory. by Fuller-Maitland, J. A.

The latter were bestowed upon the French vivandière.

From Fifty-One Years of Victorian Life by Child-Villiers, Margaret Elizabeth Leigh

The vivandière is rescued alternately from a speedy death by the marine and the soldier.

From The Real Latin Quarter by Smith, F. Berkeley (Frank Berkeley)

The colonel shook me cordially by the hand and I was embraced by the robust vivandière, who struck me as being in the practice of sustaining life on a diet of garlic.

From Camps, Quarters, and Casual Places by Forbes, Archibald