Pochette

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A small decorative case or pouch often used to hold items like handkerchiefs or cards ; a small size or part of a musical instrument, such as a diminutive violin used by dancers
2. A compact ornamental container designed for carrying small personal objects ; a miniature component of an instrument, typically a tiny stringed instrument played in confined spaces
3. A petite accessory used for holding small essentials in a stylish manner ; a tiny musical instrument or its portion, noted for its portability and use in traditional performances

Etymology: "Pochette" is a small pouch, but its name is simply the French word for "pocket" brought into English unchanged. French "pochette" is the diminutive of "poche," a bag or pocket, so the word carries its own little-pocket sense with it across the Channel. The surprise lies in its family. English "pocket" and "pochette" are doublets: two words descended from the same source that entered the language by different routes. "Pocket" came into English as a native-adapted form, while "pochette" arrived later as a direct borrowing from French, keeping the shape and the diminutive ending that "pocket" lost.

Synonyms: pocket, case, pouch, bag, clutch