chanteuse

noun

chan·​teuse shan-ˈtüz How to pronounce chanteuse (audio) shäⁿ-ˈtərz How to pronounce chanteuse (audio)
-ˈtəz
plural chanteuses shan-ˈtüz How to pronounce chanteuse (audio)
-ˈtü-zəz,
-ˈtərz,
-ˈtəz,
-ˈtər-zəz,
-ˈtə-zəz
Synonyms of chanteusenext
: songstress
especially : a woman who is a concert or nightclub singer

Examples of chanteuse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Cirillo is more impressive pop belter than chanteuse. —Brian Seibert, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025 Moore is playing it full tilt as alcoholic chanteuse Virginia. —Eddie Mouradian, Vulture, 24 Feb. 2025 The chanteuse sat down with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang for a new episode of the duo’s Las Culturistas podcast, where Carey revealed how much her sixth studio album, Butterfly, meant to her. —Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2024 The elusive chanteuse, Mariah Carey, isn’t just known for her five-octave vocal range. —Larry Stansbury, Essence, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for chanteuse

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, from chanter "to sing" (going back to Old French) + -euse, feminine agent suffix, from feminine of -eux, adjective suffix, going back to Old French -eus, earlier -os, -ous, going back to Latin -ōsus -ose entry 1 — more at chant entry 1

Note: The feminine adjectival suffix -euse developed into an agent suffix in later Middle French, when, in line with the general loss of final consonants, the agent suffix -eur lost its consonant and became completely homonymous with the masculine adjectival suffix -eux; the two suffixes being identified, -euse came into use as a feminine complement to -eur. The restoration of final r in the suffix -eur has once again separated the suffixes.

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chanteuse was in 1823

Rhymes for chanteuse

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Browse Nearby Words

chanteur
chanteuse
chantey
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chanteuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chanteuse. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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