Meanings
plural debuts · alternative début
- A performer's first performance to the public, in sport, the arts or some other area.
Hulking defenceman Gudbranson, who came to Vancouver in a trade with the Florida Panthers last May, scored in his debut for the Canucks.
2016 September 29, Jason Keller, “Eberle-McDavid-Lucic line debuts in Oilers pre-season loss to Canucks”, in CBC, archived from the original on 04 Apr 20231 more example
Liverpool's performance - despite a defensive injury crisis that saw a promising debut for teenage academy graduate John Flanagan - was a resounding advert for Kenny Dalglish to be given the manager's job on a permanent basis.
2011 April 11, Phil McNulty, “Liverpool 3 - 0 Man City”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 02 Aug 2019 - alsoattributiveThe first public presentation of a theatrical play, motion picture, opera, musical composition, dance, or other performing arts piece.
their long-anticipated debut album
1 more example
Since making its debut two years ago, the program has gained cult status.
- PhilippinesThe coming-of-age celebration of a woman's eighteenth birthday.
present singular third person debuts · participle present debuting · participle past debuted · past debuted · alternative début
- UStransitiveTo formally introduce, as to the public.
Amalgamated Software Systems debuted release 3.2 in Spring of 2004.
1 more example
He recently debuted a preview of his cover of Cher’s 1998 hit “Believe” on his official Instagram account.
2019 June 27, Lisa Respers France, “Country star Jake Owen claps back at anti-LGBTQ commenter”, in CNN - intransitiveTo make one's initial formal appearance.
Release 3.2 debuted to mixed reviews in Spring of 2004.
1 more example
The nine-car electric unit debuted on the 0630 Newcastle-London King's Cross.
2020 April 8, “Fleet News: News in Brief”, in RAIL, page 29
Synonyms & antonyms
nounthe act of beginning something new
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Spanishdebut
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰewd-“to beat, push”
- Proto-Germanic*butą“end, piece”
- Old Norsebútr“log, stump, butt”
- Frankish*but“stump, log”
- Old Frenchbutte“mound, knoll, target”
- Old Frenchbut“aim, goal, end, target”
- Frenchdébut
- Englishdebut
Borrowed from French début, from Middle French, derivative of débuter (“to move, begin”), from dé- + but (“mark, goal”), from Old French but (“aim, goal, end, target”), from Old French butte (“mound, knoll, target”), from Frankish *but (“stump, log”), or from Old Norse bútr (“log, stump, butt”); both from Proto-Germanic *butą (“end, piece”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewd- (“to beat, push”). Cognate with Old English butt (“tree stump”). More at butt. The Philippine sense is influenced by Spanish debut.
More words from French, Old French, Frankish
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Basque estreinaldi
- estreinaldia performer's first-time performance to the public
Bengali অভিষেক
- অভিষেক (obhiśek)a performer's first-time performance to the public
Bulgarian дебют, дебютирам
- дебют (debjut)a performer's first-time performance to the public
- дебютирам (debjutiram)to make one's initial formal appearance
Catalan debut, debutar
- debuta performer's first-time performance to the public
- debutarto formally introduce, as to the public
- debutarto make one's initial formal appearance
Chinese Mandarin 出道, 首發 /首发
- 出道 (chūdào)a performer's first-time performance to the public
- 首發 /首发 (shǒufā)to formally introduce, as to the public
- 初次登台 (chūcì dēngtái)to make one's initial formal appearance
- 出道 (chūdào)to make one's initial formal appearance
Czech debutovat
- debutovatto make one's initial formal appearance
Danish debut, præsentere
- debuta performer's first-time performance to the public
- præsentereto formally introduce, as to the public
- lancereto formally introduce, as to the public
- debutereto make one's initial formal appearance
Dutch debuut, debuteren
- debuuta performer's first-time performance to the public
- debuterento formally introduce, as to the public
- debuterento make one's initial formal appearance
Esperanto debuta, debuti
- debutaa performer's first-time performance to the public
- debutito make one's initial formal appearance
Estonian debüüt
- debüüta performer's first-time performance to the public
Finnish ensiesiintyminen, ensiesitys
- ensiesiintyminena performer's first-time performance to the public
- ensiesitysa performer's first-time performance to the public
- debyyttia performer's first-time performance to the public
- debytoidato formally introduce, as to the public
- julkaista ensi kerranto formally introduce, as to the public
- debytoidato make one's initial formal appearance
- esiintyä ensi kerranto make one's initial formal appearance
French première, présenter
- premièrea performer's first-time performance to the public
- présenterto formally introduce, as to the public
- lancerto formally introduce, as to the public
- se lancerto make one's initial formal appearance
German Debüt, einführen
- Debüta performer's first-time performance to the public
- einführento formally introduce, as to the public
- vorstellento formally introduce, as to the public
- veröffentlichento formally introduce, as to the public
- debütierento make one's initial formal appearance
Hebrew הופעת בכורה
- הופעת בכורה (hofa'at bekhora)a performer's first-time performance to the public
Hungarian debütál
- debütálto make one's initial formal appearance
Indonesian debut, debut
- debuta performer's first-time performance to the public
- debutto make one's initial formal appearance
Italian debutto, esordire
- debuttoa performer's first-time performance to the public
- esordireto make one's initial formal appearance
Japanese デビュー, デビュー
- デビュー (debyū)a performer's first-time performance to the public
- デビューto make one's initial formal appearance
Korean 데뷔, 데뷔
- 데뷔 (debwi)a performer's first-time performance to the public
- 데뷔 (debwi)to formally introduce, as to the public
- 데뷔 (debwi)to make one's initial formal appearance
Persian شروع به کار کردن
- شروع به کار کردنa performer's first-time performance to the public
Polish debiut, debiutować
- debiuta performer's first-time performance to the public
- debiutowaćto make one's initial formal appearance
- zadebiutowaćto make one's initial formal appearance
Portuguese lançamento, estreia
- lançamentoa performer's first-time performance to the public
- estreiaa performer's first-time performance to the public
- debutarto formally introduce, as to the public
- estreiarto formally introduce, as to the public
- ser lançadoto make one's initial formal appearance
- estreiarto make one's initial formal appearance
Romanian debuta
- debutato make one's initial formal appearance
Russian дебю́т, дебюти́ровать
- дебю́т (debjút)a performer's first-time performance to the public
- дебюти́ровать (debjutírovatʹ)to make one's initial formal appearance
Spanish debut, debú
- debuta performer's first-time performance to the public
- debúa performer's first-time performance to the public
- debutarto formally introduce, as to the public
- debutarto make one's initial formal appearance
Swedish debut, debutera
- debuta performer's first-time performance to the public
- debuterato make one's initial formal appearance
Ukrainian дебю́т, дебютува́ти
- дебю́т (debjút)a performer's first-time performance to the public
- дебютува́ти (debjutuváty)to make one's initial formal appearance
Vietnamese trình diễn, ra mắt
- trình diễnto formally introduce, as to the public
- ra mắtto make one's initial formal appearance
Yiddish דעבוט, דעביוט
- דעבוט (debut)a performer's first-time performance to the public
- דעביוט (debyut)a performer's first-time performance to the public
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with debut
All rhymes →Anagrams
Cite this entry
debut. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/debut
“debut.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/debut. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “debut,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/debut.
Source: debut on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.