debutante

A debutante, also spelled débutante ( DEB-yuu-tahnt; from French: débutante [debytɑ̃t], 'female beginner'), or deb is a young woman of aristocratic or upper-class family background who has reached maturity and is presented to society at a formal "debut" (UK: DAY-byoo, DEB-yoo, US: day-BYOO; French: début [deby]) or debutante ball. Originally, the term indicated that the woman was old enough to be married, and one purpose of her "coming out" was to display her to eligible bachelors and their families with a view to marriage within a select circle. A debutante ball, sometimes called a coming-out party, is a formal ball that includes presenting debutantes during the social season, usually during the spring or summer. Debutante balls may require prior instruction in social etiquette and appr...