debut

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈdɛbjuː/, /ˈdeɪbjuː/ (UK); /deɪˈbjuː/, /dəˈbjuː/ (US)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from French début (“first appearance”),^{[2][3][4][5][6]} from débuter “to make the first stroke in a game”,^[2][4][6] also “to lead off at bowls”,^[4] from dé- and but “mark, goal”.^{[2][3][4][5][6]} It is related to butt in the sense of a target.^[2][4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

A first appearance in society or before the public, as of an actor or other performer (1751).^[7][3][4][5]

Semantic evolution

The game sense of the French verb was used figuratively for a first appearance.^[4] The verb is recorded in English from 1830,^[3][4][7][5] and the related debutante, for a young woman making her entrance into society, from 1801.^[3] Today the verb is also used of introducing products and publications.^[6][5]

Timeline

• 1751 – a first appearance in public or society.^[7][3][4][5]
• 1801 – debutante.^[3]
• 1830 – verb, to make one's debut.^[7][3][4][5]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. A first public appearance, as of a performer.
2. The formal presentation of a young woman to society.
3. The beginning of a course of action or career.
4. The first appearance of something, such as a new product or a film.

Verb

1. To make a first appearance.
2. To present or introduce to the public for the first time.

Related words

• debutant
• debutante
• butt

Usage notes

The AHD notes that the verb is well established for the performing arts, but that its use for other introductions, such as of products or publications, is not entirely accepted, probably because it sounds like show-business publicity.^[2] British English tends to say on one's debut where North American English says in one's debut.^[1]

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d e f g h Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. ^ a b c d Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
7. ^ a b c d Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press