soubrette

soubrette
soubrettish, adj.
/sooh bret"/, n.
1. a maidservant or lady's maid in a play, opera, or the like, esp. one displaying coquetry, pertness, and a tendency to engage in intrigue.
2. an actress playing such a role.
3. any lively or pert young woman.
[1745-55; < F: lady's maid < Pr soubreto, deriv. of soubret affected, ult. deriv. of OPr sobrar < L superare to be above]

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▪ theatrical character
      in theatre, comic female character usually in the role of a chambermaid. The soubrette role originated in French comedy, one of the earliest examples being Suzanne in Pierre-Augustin de Beaumarchais' Le Mariage de Figaro (1784). Still earlier, Molière's (Molière) plays Tartuffe (1664) and Le Bourgeois gentilhomme (1670) contained versions of the character in the roles of Dorine and Nicole.

      Most often of an independent nature, the soubrette demonstrated a nonconformist attitude coupled with a down-to-earth approach and native humour. Quick-witted and subtle, as in the character Lisette in Pierre Marivaux's Le Jeu de l'amour et du hasard (1730; The Game of Love and Chance), the soubrette developed greater popularity and recognition in comic opera and the operetta. During this period in the 18th century she became fixed as a type. The most successful soubrettes coupled the personality traits of Molière's characters with a certain ingenuous charm. An outstanding example of this combination may be seen in the character of Franziska in Gotthold Lessing's Minna von Barnhelm (1767).

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  • Soubrette — is a term referring to a type of female role mdash;specifically, a stock character mdash;in opera and theatre. The term arrived in English from Provençal via French, and means conceited or coy . [ [http://www.thefreedictionary.com/soubrette… …   Wikipedia

  • soubrette — [ subrɛt ] n. f. • 1640; provenç. soubreto, de soubret « affecté »; de l a. provenç. sobrar « être de trop », du lat. superare ♦ Suivante ou servante. « Une soubrette est à vrai dire le grain de sel des comédies » (Gautier). ♢ Fam. Bonne, femme… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Soubrette — Sf (komisches Rollenfach für Sopran) per. Wortschatz fach. (18. Jh.) Entlehnung. Entlehnt aus frz. soubrette, zu prov. soubret, soubreto geziert , zu prov. soubrá drüber hinaus sein , aus l. superāre die Oberhand haben, übersteigen , zu l. super… …   Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen sprache

  • soubrette — SOUBRETTE. s. f. On appelle ainsi par mespris, une femme de chambre ou une suivante. Une petite soubrette. elle fait la personne de qualité, & ce n est qu une soubrette. il passe sa vie avec des soubrettes …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Soubrette — Sou brette , n. [F.] A female servant or attendant; specifically, as a term of the theater, a lady s maid, in comedies, who acts the part of an intrigante; a meddlesome, mischievous female servant or young woman. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Soubrette — (fr., spr. Subrette), Zofe, schlaue Kammerjungfer, bes. in der Theatersprache gebraucht, s.u. Rolle B) a) …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Soubrette — (franz., spr. ßu ), Rollenfach der französischen und deutschen Bühne. Eigentlich Zofe, Kammerjungfer, mit dem Nebenbegriff der Schelmerei, List und Verschmitztheit, bezeichnet S. jetzt eine muntere oder komische jugendliche Mädchenrolle und ist… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Soubrette — (frz., spr. ßu ), Zofe, Dienerin; in der Bühnensprache: Vertreterin munterer jugendlicher Mädchenrollen, bes. in Oper und Operette …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Soubrette — (subrett), frz., Kammermädchen …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • soubrette — /su brɛt/ s.f., fr. [dal provenz. soubreto, femm. dell agg. soubret affettato ; propr., in fr., servetta brillante di commedia ], in ital. invar. (teatr.) [attrice giovane di operetta, rivista e sim.: una s. di altri tempi ] ▶◀ showgirl …   Enciclopedia Italiana

  • soubrette — (n.) 1753, theatrical jargon word for lady s maid characters in plays and operas, who typically were pert, flirtatious, and intriguing, from French, from Prov. soubreto affected, conceited, fem. of soubret coy, reserved, from soubra to set aside …   Etymology dictionary

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