cotillion
UK[kəˈtɪljən]US[koʊˈtɪljən]
n
a formal ball, especially one at which debutantes are presented.
n
an elaborate 18th-century french dance featuring frequent changes of partners.
Etymology
the word 'cotillion' entered english in the early 18th century from the french 'cotillon', meaning 'petticoat'. the french term itself is a diminutive of 'cotte', an old french word for a kind of coat or petticoat. the dance was named for the swishing petticoats of the female dancers. over time, the term evolved in english to refer first to the specific lively dance and later, by the 19th century, to the elaborate formal ball at which such dances were performed, particularly those introducing young women to society.
Analysis
this word is a loanword from french. it is not productively formed from separable english morphemes and is therefore treated as unsegmentable in the context of modern english.
Examples
she made her society debut at the annual winter cotillion.
the dance instructor taught them the steps of an 18th-century cotillion.
invitations to the charity cotillion were highly sought after.