Debutante vs. Cotillion

Debutantenoun

A young woman who makes her first formal appearance in society.

Debutantenoun

A female debutant, especially in sport and entertainment.

Debutante

A young woman making her first appearance in society, especially one who is one of the honorees at a debutante cotillion. See cotillion{4}.

Debutantenoun

a young woman making her debut into society

Debutante

A debutante (from French: débutante, ) or deb is a young woman of aristocratic or upper-class family background who has reached maturity and, as a new adult, comes out into society at a formal or possibly debutante ball. Originally, the term meant that the woman was old enough to be married, and part of the purpose of her coming out was to display her to eligible bachelors and their families, with a view to marriage within a select circle.

Cotillionnoun

(dance) A bold dance performed in groups of eight where ladies lift their skirts to display their ankles.

Cotillionnoun

(music) The music regulating the cotillion.

Cotillionnoun

(American) cotillion ball; a coming-of-age party meant to present girls newly transitioned into womanhood to the community for courtship.

Cotillionnoun

(textiles) A kind of woollen material for women's skirts.

Cotillionnoun

a ball at which young ladies are presented to society

Cotillionnoun

a lively dance originating in France in the 18th century

Cotillion

The cotillion (also cotillon or French country dance) is a social dance, popular in 18th-century Europe and America. Originally for four couples in square formation, it was a courtly version of an English country dance, the forerunner of the quadrille and, in the United States, the square dance.