Grisette

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ɡɹɪˈzɛt/

Definitions

1. A young working-class woman, especially one in 19th-century France who was known for her modest means and often scandalous romantic behavior
2. a young working-class woman of modest circumstances, particularly in 19th-century France, known for her independent spirit and romantic liaisons
3. a humble female laborer or shopworker of limited means in historical France, typically characterized by her casual romantic involvements and spirited demeanor

Etymology: In French, "grisette" comes from "gris," meaning grey, plus the diminutive suffix "-ette." The grey was the point: coarse grey cloth was the fabric of cheap, hard-wearing clothing, so the name was attached to people who wore it. Over time it came to label working-class women, especially seamstresses and shop assistants, whose plain dress set them apart from the wealthier ladies of the same city. The word then picked up a second and more lively association. Young working women in French towns were often imagined as independent, flirtatious and free with their affections, and "grisette" came to suggest a cheerful, lower-class sweetheart rather than simply a poor worker. English borrowed the word from French, keeping both the social sense of a poor working woman and the romantic image that grew around her.