Vol. 09 · Loanwords ·French ·1750s
Debut
from début
- Meaning
- A first public appearance.
- Source word
- début
- Route into English
- French *débuter* (to start, literally to make a first move in a game) → noun *début* → English. Originally theatrical; now used for anything from albums to products to careers.
- Arrived
- 1750s
From French
Beyond the Norman conquest's Old French foundation, English kept borrowing from French for art, cuisine, fashion, and diplomacy throughout the modern period.
English borrows.
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