Debs

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of young debutantes being presented to society
2. a term expressing admiration or respect for someone considered stylish or sophisticated
3. a slang reference to a person who is stylishly extravagant or chic

Etymology: The "debs" that means a stylish, fashionable person is a shortened form of "debutante," a young woman of good family presented to society, with the "-s" tacked on as a pet-name ending. The clipping gives the word a chatty, slightly affectionate tone, as if the speaker were referring to a familiar type of socialite rather than a formal title. The longer word traces back to French "débutante," the feminine form of "débutant," meaning someone who is beginning, from "débuter," to begin a game or career. In English, "debutante" carried the sense of a young woman making her formal entrance into society, and "deb" was the familiar short form of that term. Over time the clipped form drifted from its social origins toward a general description of anyone who dresses or behaves with polished glamour, so a "deb" in modern usage need not have any connection to debutante balls at all.

Synonyms: debutantes, socialites, ladies, young women, girls