ElleJane Daniels LearJohn le Carré
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Nineteenth-century Europe featured a lot of sophisticated fashions—especially in Paris, a city considered by many to be the fashion capital of the world. Women's dresses were often made of drooping layers of fabric (such as satin or silk) that rustled as the women moved around, and "froufrou" was the French word coined in imitation of the sound they made. The word made its first appearance in English in 1870 as a noun meaning "rustling." It later came to mean "ostentatious decoration," and its usage expanded beyond the world of fashion to other crafts such as architecture and interior design. These days it also shows up as the adjective frou-frou, meaning "very heavily decorated and fancy," as in "frou-frou designs."
Examples of froufrou in a Sentence
Sandra Salibian, WWD, 13 Dec. 2024
None of that decadent froufrou for us Americans, no sir; the Eurosport breathes through a Rochester two-barrel carburetor, and the mixture flows from carburetor to manifold unvexed by any little whirling rotors or impellers.
—David E. Davis Jr., Car and Driver, 30 Jan. 2023
An unusual mushroom farm, a chef who hates trash cans, manta for all, Thanksgiving classics and waiting for froufrou.
—Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2022
To keep the planter from skewing fusty, Mr. London recommends filling it with leafy plants, or even cactuses, in lieu of froufrou florals.
—Allison Duncan, WSJ, 22 Sep. 2021
Here’s a look at some properties that are light on froufrou but big on fun.
—Pamela Wright, BostonGlobe.com, 20 Jan. 2021
Lindsey Wixson also starred in the show, wearing a punchy blue froufrou dress over a coral knit (complete with a supersized bow).
—Georgia Murray, refinery29.com, 18 Feb. 2020
Sandra Salibian, WWD, 13 Dec. 2024
Of course, Heather would be a perfect little froufrou doggy.
—Peter Larsen, Orange County Register, 20 Sep. 2024
The collection drew inspiration from La Samaritaine’s diverse clientele and featured streamlined high octane silhouettes, froufrou flourishes and sporty, cold weather appropriate quilted puffers.
—Stephanie Hirschmiller, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2023
The froufrou thematic stuff is for other people to figure out.
—Mike Sacks, The New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2022
That was always life for Venorica Tucker, 72, who works as a server and bartender at froufrou events all over the Washington region.
—Washington Post, 6 May 2021
Cite this Entry
“Froufrou.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/froufrou. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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