diseuse

[ French dee-zœz ]

noun

, plural di·seuses [dee-, zœz].

1. a female professional entertainer who performs monologues.

diseuse

/ dizœz /

noun

1. (esp formerly) an actress who presents dramatic recitals, usually sung accompanied by music Male counterpartdiseurdizœr

Word History and Origins

Origin of diseuse¹

1895–1900; < French, feminine of diseur diseur; -euse

Word History and Origins

Origin of diseuse¹

C19: from French, feminine of diseur speaker, from dire to speak, from Latin dīcere

Example Sentences

My closest confidants were two extraordinary women: Paula Laurence, Broadway star, diseuse and needle-sharp analyst of the passing scene; and Ann Rogers, Welles’s secretary for 30 years.

From The Guardian

So coloratura soprano and contemporary music singer Alison Bell, slinky cabaret diseuse Meow Meow, and bel canto soprano Gabriela Istoc were the women fighting for the affections of Mark Padmore's brutally charismatic Macheath.

From The Guardian

Manzel was remarkable with her diseuse way with words and silvery tone, reminiscent at times of Carola Neher, one of the great artists of the period.

From The Guardian

Sylvia’s favorites in the company were Madame Perron, the wife of the chanteur grivois, and Blanche, a tall, fair, noisy girl who called herself a diseuse, but who usually sang indecent ballads in a powerful contralto.

From Project Gutenberg

Ruth Draper has soundly insisted that she is no mere monologist or diseuse; she describes herself as a character actress.

From Time Magazine Archive