tutu
n. countablen. a very short skirt made of many layers of thin, stiff fabric. It is worn by female ballet dancers when they perform on stage.
n. a skirt made of multiple layers of stiffened silk or nylon net, typically worn by female ballet dancers. It may be short and stiff (classical) or long and bell-shaped (romantic).
The young dancer put on her pink tutu for the recital.
The costume designer spent weeks sewing hundreds of layers of tulle into each tutu for the upcoming production of Swan Lake.
While the classical tutu is designed to showcase the dancer's intricate legwork and athleticism, the longer romantic version emphasizes grace and ethereal movement through its soft, flowing layers.
Borrowed from French tutu, from cucu (“bum, bottom”), playful reduplication of cul (“arse”).
Borrowed from Māori tutu.
From Māori tutū (“mischievous, disobedient”).
Commonly used in the context of ballet and dance costumes.