Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A short skirt, often consisting of many layers of gathered sheer fabric, worn by ballerinas.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A ballet skirt made of layered stiff but light netting.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French, perhaps alteration of cucu, baby-talk reduplication of cul, buttocks; see culotte.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From French tutu, an alteration of cucu, which is itself a reduplicated form of cul ("butt, bum, arse").

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Examples

  • Contrary to its image as an elite garment for the stage or high fashion only, commoners in France first used the word 'tutu.'

    Deborah Jiang Stein: Who Says Tough Girls Don't Wear Tutus? Deborah Jiang Stein 2011

  • When I researched the roots of the word 'tutu, no wonder I'm drawn to it.

    Deborah Jiang Stein: Who Says Tough Girls Don't Wear Tutus? Deborah Jiang Stein 2011

  • Then I researched the roots of the word "tutu," and no wonder I'm drawn to it.

    The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com Deborah Jiang Stein 2011

  • Contrary to its image as an elite garment for the stage or high fashion only, the word "tutu" was first used by commoners in France.

    The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com Deborah Jiang Stein 2011

  • The French word "tutu" comes from the French baby - talk word for derriere.

    Denver Post: News: Breaking: Local editor@denverpost.com (<B>By Kim Ode</B> / <I>Sta 2009

  • His grandmother -- whom he calls Toot, a shortened version of "tutu," the Hawaiian word for grandparent -- was the down-to-earth one.

    Top Stories - Google News 2008

  • His grandmother -- whom he calls Toot, a shortened version of "tutu," the Hawaiian word for grandparent -- was the down-to-earth one.

    Top Stories - Google News 2008

  • Obama has often mentioned "Toot" - his version of the Hawaiian word "tutu," or grandparent

    CITIZEN-TIMES.com - News Christopher Wills The Associated Press 2008

  • He has often mentioned "Toot" - his version of the Hawaiian word "tutu," or grandparent - as an example of a strong woman succeeding through intelligence and determination.

    News from www.pantagraph.com 2008

  • He has often mentioned "Toot" - his version of the Hawaiian word "tutu," or grandparent - as an example of a strong woman succeeding through intelligence and determination.

    Newsvine - Get Smarter Here 2008

Comments

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  • along with the ballet costume, tutu is also the hawaiian word for grandmother

    December 5, 2006

  • well-known ballet skirt.

    December 10, 2006

  • I call WeirdNet bias. Why Desmond is listed before "a very short skirt" is beyond me*.

    *note: not really.

    April 29, 2008

  • Alphabetical? ;-)

    April 30, 2008

  • "Beyond that, Mr. Obama has played golf, taken walks on the beach with his daughters, eaten dinner at a few Honolulu restaurants with his wife and friends, and visited almost daily with his grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, whom Mr. Obama calls “tutu,�? a Hawaiian term."

    The New York Times, McCain Displays Credentials as Obama Relaxes, by Michael Falcone, August 14, 2008

    August 15, 2008