dudelet

plural dudelets

1. archaicderogatoryAn effeminate young man who strives to be fashionable; a dandy.

   Yes, the bullfrog is a-croaking And the dudelet is a-smoking

   1903, Ambrose Bierce, “To a Summer Poet”, in Shapes of Clay

   2 more examples

   Do we want a citizen soldiery composed of such men as those who, since 1794, have served in the ranks of the Gordon Highlanders, or composed of such men as the Gardeners of Japan, who wrested Port Arthur from the Russians, or do we want to depend on a national militia of citizen soldiers enrolled from among the pink-cheeked dudelets and mush-faced weaklings from the apartments, flats, and tenements of our congested cities or factory towns, whose highest ambition is to smoke cigarettes, ape a fashion plate, or stand and gape at a baseball score on a bulletin board?

   1915, George Hebard Maxwell, Our National Defense: The Patriotism of Peace, →ISBN

   Yes — and talking about parasites, my friends, how long will it be before the decent working-men of England tire of the miserable gang of fools, liars and dudelets who had the barefaced impudence to decree that the year 1887 should be one of Jubilation?

   1944, William Cameron, The Day is Coming, page 8

   Synonyms: cockney, pansy, bading, big girl's blouse, cockney, cot-quean, cupcake, fakaleiti

2. A young boy, especially one who is fashionable or popular.

   At first the dudelet, Taking a dash of ginger in his lemonade ; Then the older dude, with his small salary.

   1890, William T. Hall, The Turnover Club, page 25

   2 more examples

   But now and then a dudelet who is new to the ways of the world pauses for a moment at the glittering windows, and is lost.

   1892, Life - Volume 20, page 348

   Cyberfolks are already hip to the antics of Dancing Baby — the slightly demonic, diapered dudelet who's been boogalooing all over the Web for months.

   1998, Newsweek - Volume 131

3. archaicA fashionable young woman.

   Dude and Dudelet on the beach, Upon the beach so sandy. The Dude, he wooed ; the Dudelet cooed, And nibbled Maillard's candy.

   1883, The Harvard Lampoon - Volume 5, Issue 5, page 42

   1 more example

   In marriage, let frivolous and light-minded women gravitate to inferior men; and let the " Dude" mate with the "Dudelet." But I insist that pure and noble women shall be saved from marriage with impure and ignoble men.

   1883, Dio Lewis's Monthly - Volume 1, page 37

   Synonyms: dandizette, quaintrelle, dandizette, dandyess, quaintrelle