Pronounced: SIT-uh-sihz-uhm, noun
Notes: I didn’t know this word, but after seeing the definition, I was pretty sure I knew the origin
Yesterday’s word
The word vedette has a couple of varied meanings
- a leading state of film star
- a mounted sentry or a scouting boat posted in an advanced position to observe the movements of an enemy
First usage
The first meaning is relatively new, dating back to the 1960s. The second meaning is older from the late 1600s
Background / Comments
Our word comes from the French word vedette (star – as in a film star; speedboat). The French word came from the Italian word vedetta, which came from veletta.
Richard's Vocabulary Word-of-the-Day 