chanteuse

noun

chan·​teuse shan-ˈtüz  shäⁿ-ˈtərz 

-ˈtəz

plural chanteuses shan-ˈtüz 

-ˈtü-zəz, 

-ˈtərz, 

-ˈtəz, 

-ˈtər-zəz, 

-ˈtə-zəz

: songstress

especially : a woman who is a concert or nightclub singer

Examples of chanteuse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

All four female soloists on the ballot, in fact, didn’t make it past the voting stage, which included three-time nominee and noted elusive chanteuse Mariah Carey. —Devon Ivie, Vulture, 22 Apr. 2026

As the adult CeeCee, Jessica Vosk, a fine powerhouse singer, chooses – or is directed to choose – an over-the-top style that draws heavily, naturally enough, from Midler (the outré style, the Merman-esque volume and chanteuse vulnerability). —Greg Evans, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2026

In fact, Summers would have been much better off falling in love with Dietrich’s nightclub chanteuse. —Cory Franklin, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026

Directed by Bill Pohlad and produced by Mick Jagger, the film reimagines the 1949 romance between chanteuse Juliette Gréco and jazz legend Miles Davis, with production expected to begin later this year. —Ben Croll, Variety, 18 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, from chanter "to sing" (going back to Old French) + -euse, feminine agent suffix, from feminine of -eux, adjective suffix, going back to Old French -eus, earlier -os, -ous, going back to Latin -ōsus -ose entry 1 — more at chant entry 1

Note: The feminine adjectival suffix -euse developed into an agent suffix in later Middle French, when, in line with the general loss of final consonants, the agent suffix -eur lost its consonant and became completely homonymous with the masculine adjectival suffix -eux; the two suffixes being identified, -euse came into use as a feminine complement to -eur. The restoration of final r in the suffix -eur has once again separated the suffixes.

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for chanteuse

• abstruse
• abuse
• adduce
• atreus
• caboose
• cayuse
• conduce
• deduce
• diffuse
• disuse
• excuse
• footloose