bas bleu

British  

/ bɑ blø /

noun

1. a bluestocking; intellectual woman

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Etymology

Origin of bas bleu

C18: from French translation of English _bluestocking

Example Sentences

She was teacher rather than artist; but no one could be farther from a bas bleu, or more severe upon pedantry or pretension of any sort.

From The Women of the French Salons by Mason, Amelia Ruth Gere

He is himself a plain practical man, who has no sympathy with the bas bleu movement.

From Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama, Vol. 1 A Revised American Edition of the Reader's Handbook by Brewer, Ebenezer Cobham

It was attended by two Marchionesses, of the bas bleu order; and by the whole corps of the confr�res bibliographiques of the Royal Library.

From A Bibliographical, Antiquarian and Picturesque Tour in France and Germany, Volume Two by Dibdin, Thomas Frognall

Au reste, she has nothing of the bas bleu about her, and is very quiet and agreeable.

From The Letters of Charles Dickens Vol. 1, 1833-1856 by Hogarth, Georgina

Greek, French, Italian, metaphysics, and private authorship—pretty well for a miss in her teens, and surely a promissory-note on the bas bleu joint-stock company!—a note which she discharged in full when it became due.

From Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 438 Volume 17, New Series, May 22, 1852 by Chambers, Robert