different between soubrette vs soubrettish

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /su??b??t/
• Rhymes: -?t

Noun

soubrette (plural soubrettes)

1. A female attendant or servant, especially one who is cheeky or mischievous, often featuring in theatrical comedies.
   • 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.

Translations

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Occitan soubreto.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /su.b??t/

Noun

soubrette f (plural soubrettes)

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

Further reading

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

Anagrams

• brouettes, brouettés

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from French soubrette.

Noun

soubrette f (invariable)

1. showgirl

English

Etymology

soubrette +? -ish

Adjective

soubrettish (comparative more soubrettish, superlative most soubrettish)

1. Like a soubrette; cheeky and mischievous.