Dictionary

bluette en · NOUN · etymology 1

Etymology

From French bluette (literally “little spark”).

Meanings

1. (dated) A short but scintillating play or other work.
   • The Fürst Theater, the only theatre now open in Vienna, announced last week for production a bluette entitled, Der Schah von Persien in Wien (The Shah in Vienna). 1878, The Theater: A Monthly Review and Magazine, volume 1, page 60:
   • Rumor has it that this bluette was written for Kim Upsher, a high-school friend with whom Prince had a romantic relationship some time before recording the album [Prince]. 2022, Benoît Clerc, translated by Simon Jones, Andrea Reece, and Elettra Pauletto, “Still Waiting”, in Prince: All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track, London: Mitchell Beazley, →ISBN:
   • Louise gives a dinner at Rue de Bassano a week later, followed by the private premiere of Fumée, a bluette by her friend Maria Star. 2026, Catherine Ostler, “The Girl in Blue”, in The Renoir Girls: A Hidden History of Art, War & Betrayal, New York, N.Y.: Atria Books, →ISBN, part 1, page 128:

Forms

bluette en · ADJ · etymology 2

Etymology

From blue + -ette (diminutive suffix). For the color, compare Italian bluette.

Meanings

1. Of this shade of blue.
   • Mrs. Mary Krajewski, Wallington, N.J., was matron of honor, attired in a bluette chiffon gown featuring a high neckline and fly away capelet above an A-line chiffon skirt. 1976 October 10, “[Bridal Portraits] Mr. and Mrs. Frank O. Cannon III”, in The Sunday Times, final edition, Scranton, Pa., →OCLC, pages C-3–C-4:
   • It is daintily trimmed with deep grayish cream lace and bluette ribbon, which is the latest fashionable color, and is the tint of bluette flowers, or bachelor’s buttons, as we call them. […] The stock is of bluette satin ribbon, passed through a curved rhinestone buckle and tied in a large crisp bow at the back. 1894 September 9, Marie Jonreau, “Graze for the Mannish. […]”, in The Boston Sunday Globe, volume XLVI, number 71, Boston, Mass., →OCLC, page 28, column 3:
   • I nodded and diffidently walked through the immense bluette [translating bluette] corridor strewn with drawings, trying not to bump into the massive mass that populated the entire room. 2024 August 12, Martha T. Mile, “Drew”, in Drez: A Song to Make You Mine, Ruby Ink Editions, ASIN B0DCJLYCWX:
   • For her daughter’s wedding, Mrs. Idle chose a bluette taffeta dress with a matching jacket and a corsage of pink roses and bouvardia. 1955 September 17, “Nuptial Mass: Margaret Jo Idle Recites Vows With Paul O’Drain”, in A. M. Richards, Jr., editor, The Independent, home edition, 46th year, number 88, Richmond, Calif.: Owens Publications, →OCLC, page 19, column 1:

Forms

bluette en · NOUN · etymology 2

Etymology

From blue + -ette (diminutive suffix). For the color, compare Italian bluette.

Meanings

1. (archaic) A kind of satinette pigeon.
   • hello all, does anyone have satinettes or bluettes for sale would prefer mated pairs let me know please thanks c ya bob 2002 February 13, Toyboxloft, “anyone have pairs of bluettes or satinettes for sale??”, in rec.pets.birds.pigeons (Usenet), archived from the original on 30 Jun 2026:
2. A shade of blue, usually either (in fashion) deeply or (in interior design) lightly saturated.
   • Girls[’] mercerized cotton anklets with cuff top, slight irregulars. In bluette, white, red, wine, maize, royal blue, green, brown, navy. 1948 February 28, New Castle Store, “Boys’ and Girls’ Anklets”, in New Castle News, 67th year, number 44, New Castle, Pa., →OCLC, page 18:
   • At the back of the high collar is a garniture in the form of a bouquet of purple violets clustered with a grouping of narrow ribbons conceived in bluette, corn gold, dawn lavender, poudre blue and Nile green. 1926 September–October, “In Hollywood’s Smartest Shops”, in J[ames] Stuart Blackton, editor, The Motion Picture Director, volume 3, number 1, Hollywood, Calif.: Director Publishing Corporation, →OCLC, page 52, column 3:
   • i got: Borghese Long Wearing Velvet Eyeshadow in Bambina (pink) and Bluette (bright blue). $5 each 1999 October 25, jetzebel, “[bought] eep! fall makeup whoring!”, in alt.gothic.fashion (Usenet), archived from the original on 30 Jun 2026:
   • Twelve lengths (five yards each) of chiffon ruching, artistically selected colors (except bluette), decorates the vessel, trims in spirals the pillar, and falls in zigzags on base. Five yards of six-inch guipure lace for the brim. 1900, L[yman] Frank Baum, quoting the artist of the “Fountain of Chiffon”, “Fountain Display”, in The Art of Decorating Dry Goods Windows and Interiors. […], Chicago, Ill.: The Show Window Publishing Company, →OCLC, chapter XXV (Some Miscellaneous Displays), page 237, columns 1–2:
   • Available in bluette, burgundy, cream, peach, white, teal, or navy. 2008 December 22–29, Warm Things, “[Winter Showcase] Down Bed Jacket”, in The New Yorker, New York, N.Y., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 43:

Forms

bluette en · NOUN · etymology 3

Meanings

1. (alt-of, alternative, uncountable, usually) Alternative spelling of bluet (“a kind of blue woolen cloth”).
   alt of bluet
   • She had longed for the day they would get rid of the hated bluettes. They made her feel like a workhouse inmate. Wearing a uniform might finally make her feel like she belonged. 2022 March 17, Vicki Beeby, chapter 4, in A New Start for the Wrens (The Wrens; 1), London: Canelo, →ISBN:
   • Here we were Pro-Wrens, and we were given a bluette overall, a garment we wore for the first few days. 2024 December 19, Justin Smith, “Mill Hill”, in The Birds That Wouldn’t Sing: Remembering the D-Day Wrens, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Open Book Publishers, →ISBN, part I (Overlord Embroidery), chapter 1 (Wrens’ Calling (London, 1942–1944)), page 31:
   • She was on duty at the ARP shelter on the village green in an hour, which left her just enough time to change into her bluette warden’s uniform, pack up some corned beef sandwiches and make a flask of something warming to keep her going through her shift. 2024 August 29, Betty Firth, chapter 5, in A Wartime Christmas in the Dales (Made in Yorkshire; 3), London: Hera Books, →ISBN:

Forms

bluette en · NOUN · etymology 4

Etymology

From blue + -ette (“a person, especially a woman, with the specified hair color”), after brunette.

Meanings

1. (rare) A blue-haired person, especially a woman.
   • >blue hair (wild side), Don't see how the blue hair relates to the wild side exactly - unless this is some genetic bluette thing. Both come naturally to her though. 2001 May 18, Greg Taylor, “I Love Sailor Mercury”, in alt.hentai.sailor-moon (Usenet), archived from the original on 30 Jun 2026:
   • Today on Madison avenue, Manhattan, I saw a woman with light blue hair. How would you classify her? Is she a sky blonde or a bluette? 1947 June 9, E[dgar] V[incent] Durling, “On the Side”, in R. W. Akers, editor, Beaumont Enteprise, home edition, volume LI, number 174, Beaumont, Tex.: Enterprise Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 4, column 3:
   • The mission objective [of Graduation 2: Neo Generation FX] is to give extra tuition to 5 girls, I forget the names, but they are: A very bright bluette; Otsuka who hates school; Sindy Sakurai the gaijin who places play above school; A^([sic]) brunette who reads too many bodice-rippers and adores the teacher; a pink-haired girl who is very, very immature. 1994 December 24, Peter Evans, “[HTML] NEC FX review.”, in rec.games.video.misc (Usenet), archived from the original on 30 Jun 2026:

Forms

Synonyms

bluenette