[1805–15; sermon + -ette]This word is first recorded in the period 1805–15. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: backlash, makeup, napoleon, platinum, polarization-ette is a noun suffix occurring originally in loanwords from French, where it has beenused in a variety of diminutive and hypocoristic formations (brunette; cigarette; coquette; etiquette; rosette). As an English suffix, -ette forms diminutives (kitchenette; novelette; sermonette), distinctively feminine nouns (majorette; usherette), and names of imitation products (leatherette)