trousseau
noun
trü-ˈsō
Did you know?
Trousseau is a descendant of the French verb trousser, meaning "to truss" or "to tuck up." Fittingly, a bride might truss, or bundle, a variety of items as part of her trousseau—and it is not too surprising that truss is also a trousser descendant. A less common descendant of trousser is retroussé, meaning "turned up," as in a "retroussé nose." The ultimate origin of trousser is likely the Latin verb torquēre, which means "to twist." Torquēre has many descendants in the language, among them a number of "tort" words (distort, contort, retort, extort), torque, and torture.
Examples of trousseau in a Sentence
Liz Thach, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Think Parisian floral prints with English eccentricity and more linen than a Venetian trousseau.
—Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
These were young French women, specifically of marriageable age, whose passage to the ‘New World’ was covered by King Louis XIV, dowry and trousseau promised and sometimes covered.
—Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
The visual splendor of the spoiled brat’s college trousseau certainly casts a cinematic spell.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2024
Because of the varied nature of her nominations, with some awards presented during the prime-time show and others during last weekend’s Creative Arts ceremony, Rudolph had to plan a trousseau of sorts.
—Laia Garcia-Furtado, Vogue, 16 Sep. 2024
The real fun comes from experiencing distinctive local varietals like trousseau, poulsard, and savignin, and meeting the producers who treat making these obscure wines like an art form.
—Sue Williamson, Vogue, 6 Aug. 2024
Olivia von Halle, beloved for her sumptuous silk pajamas, and jewelry designer Jessica McCormack have come together to design seven exclusive styles with the most lavish bridal trousseau in mind.
—Anny Choi, Vogue, 2 July 2024
While there were plenty of places to shop for classic wedding dresses and bridal trousseau items, there were far fewer destinations to find pieces for the miscellaneous events surrounding the main event that have become increasingly standard.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 1 Mar. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Trousseau.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trousseau. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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