minaudière


min·au·dière

M0308400 (mē′nō-dyâr′)n. pl. min·au·dières (-dyârz′, -dyâr′) A small ornamental case for cosmetics, jewelry, or personal items that is often carried as a handbag.
[French, from feminine of minaudier, affected, smirking, from minauder, to simper, smirk, from mine, appearance, countenance, from Old French, probably from Breton min, muzzle.]

minaudiere

(ˌmiːnəʊˈdjɛə; French minɔdjɛr) n (Clothing & Fashion) fashion a small, handleless bag usually carried by a woman as an accessory for formal wear

min•au•dière

or min•au•diere

(ˌmi noʊˈdyɛər)

n. a small, sometimes jeweled case for a woman's cosmetics or other personal objects. [1935–40; < French: orig., coquette, n. use of feminine of minaudier affected]