tutu1
/ˈtuːtuː
/noun
A female ballet dancer’s costume consisting of a bodice and an attached skirt incorporating numerous layers of fabric, this being either short and stiff and projecting horizontally from the waist (the classical tutu) or long, soft, and bell-shaped (the romantic tutu).Actually on that Thursday morning, approximately half of the tutus did arrive - bodices without any decoration, made for one dancer - and skirts for another....
- The grand pas de deux was danced in white with red trim and while Kitri's costume was beautiful the stiff tutu lacked grace.
- It was beautiful - it had a short, puffy skirt that reminded me of a ballet tutu, with rhinestones decorating it, and a sleek and sexy shirt that hugged my boyish curves, and made me think that I looked beautiful.
Origin
Early 20th century: from French, child's alteration of cucu, informal diminutive of cul 'buttocks'.
The female ballerina's costume gets its name from the French nursery. In French tutu is a child's alteration of cucu, an informal term for the bottom, from cul ‘buttocks’. The outfit originally referred to was the short classical tutu, with a skirt projecting horizontally from the waist. The leotard sometimes worn by dancers gets its name from that of the French trapeze artist Jules Léotard (1830–1870).
Rhymes
tutu2
/ˈtuːtuː/noun
A New Zealand shrub which bears poisonous purplish-black berries.
- Coriaria arborea, family Coriariaceae.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from Maori.