Main Entry: ¹de·but

Variant(s): also dé·but \ˈdā-ˌbyü, dā-ˈ\

Function: noun

Etymology: French début, from débuter to begin, from Middle French desbuter to play first, from des- de- + but starting point, goal — more at butt

Date: 1751

1 : a first appearance <made her singing debut>
2 : a formal entrance into society