soubrette

noun

sou·​brette sü-ˈbret How to pronounce soubrette (audio)
1
a
: a coquettish maid or frivolous young woman in comedies
b
: an actress who plays such a part
2
: a soprano who sings supporting roles in comic opera

Examples of soubrette in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Not only did diners want to enjoy her singing in the cabaret, no doubt many could not resist coming to see for themselves the soubrette who had inspired such fury in the late George VI. Olivia Williams, Town & Country, 1 June 2021 That show featured a song called 'The Yama Yama Man,’ in which chorus girls cavorted in Yama Yama suits while a soubrette sang about the creepy Yama Yama Man. Bulletin Board, Twin Cities, 5 Feb. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'soubrette.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French, from Occitan soubreto, feminine of soubret coy, from soubra to surmount, exceed, from Latin superare — more at insuperable

First Known Use

1753, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of soubrette was in 1753

Dictionary Entries Near soubrette

Cite this Entry

“Soubrette.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soubrette. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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