soubrette

Etymology

Borrowed from French soubrette, from Occitan soubreta (“coy”) (feminine of soubret), from soubra (Provençal sobrar), from Latin superare (“be above”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /suːˈbɹɛt/
• Rhymes: -ɛt

Noun

soubrette (plural soubrettes)

1. A female servant or attendant, especially as mischievous or cheeky, often featuring in theatrical comedies.
   • 1936, Henry Miller, Black Spring:

     And then too it was exhilarating to see the baron come sailing in with a pair of soubrettes on his arm – each time a different pair.

   • 1969, Film Bulletin, Volume 38, page 127:

     This version of the fragile, yet touching story accents the romance and courtship of the schoolmaster, properly called Mr. Chipping, and the music hall soubrette he falls in love with while vacationing in Pompeii.

   • 1997, Thomas Pynchon, Mason & Dixon:

     The servants in the hall tonight are whitely-wigged black slaves in livery of a certain grade of satin and refinement of lace,– black Major-domos and black Soubrettes.

Etymology

Borrowed from Occitan soubreto.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /subʁɛt/

Noun

soubrette f (plural soubrettes)

1. (theater) maid (female servant (role) in a theatrical performance)
2. maid (female servant)

Further reading

• “soubrette” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Anagrams

• brouettes, brouettés

Etymology

Borrowed from French soubrette.

Noun

soubrette f (invariable)

1. showgirl