debut
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the first time an athlete, performer, or artist appears in public or starts a professional career.
n.the first public appearance of a performer or sports player in a professional capacity.
Simple“The young striker scored two goals on his professional debut for the team.”
In context“The pianist's Carnegie Hall debut was met with a standing ovation from critics and audience members alike.”
UsageOften used with the preposition 'on' or 'in'.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the first time a movie, book, or album is shown or sold to the public.
n.the first public presentation or release of a creative work, such as a film, musical composition, or literary piece.
Simple“The director's debut film won several awards at the international festival.”
In context“The band's debut album reached the top of the charts within a week of its release, surprising the industry.”
UsageFrequently used as a noun adjunct, as in 'debut novel' or 'debut album'.
- 03 C1 Advanced
n.a formal party to celebrate a young woman's 18th birthday.
n.a traditional coming-of-age celebration for a woman's eighteenth birthday, particularly in Filipino culture.
Simple“She spent months planning the perfect dress and dance for her debut.”
In context“The debut is a significant cultural milestone in the Philippines, often involving a formal cotillion and eighteen symbolic gifts.”
Teacher's tipIn this specific cultural context, the word refers to the event itself rather than just the appearance.
Synonyms - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to perform or appear in public for the very first time.
v.to make a first public appearance or to be presented to the public for the first time.
Simple“The new electric car model will debut at the international auto show next month.”
In context“The tech giant is expected to debut its latest software update during the keynote presentation this afternoon.”
UsageCan be used both transitively (to debut a product) and intransitively (the show debuts tonight).
Usage debut album · debut novel · debut last
“Since making his debut at 16 in 2023, Yamal has totalled 151 appearances for Barcelona, plus 33 national team appearances.”
“He managed to stay consistently fit last campaign, making 35 appearances in his debut season with the club.”
From French début, from Middle French, derivative of débuter (“to move, begin”), from dé- + but (“mark, goal”), from Old French but (“aim, goal, end, target”), from Old French butte (“mound, knoll, target”), from Frankish but (“stump, log”), or from Old Norse bútr (“log, stump, butt”); both from Proto-Germanic butą (“end, piece”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewd- (“to beat, push”). Cognate with Old English butt (“tree stump”). More at butt. The Philippine sense is influenced by Spanish debut.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.