vedette

or vi·dette

[ vi-det ]

noun

, History/Historical.

1. Also called vedette boat. a small naval launch used for scouting.
2. a mounted sentry in advance of the outposts of an army.

vedette

/ vɪˈdɛt /

noun

1. Also calledvedette boat navy a small patrol vessel
2. Also calledvidette military a mounted sentry posted forward of a formation's position

Word History and Origins

Origin of vedette¹

First recorded in 1680–90; from French, from Italian vedetta “outlook where a sentinel is posted,” alteration of earlier veletta (of debated origin) by association with vedere “to see”; -ette

Word History and Origins

Origin of vedette¹

C17: from French, from Italian vedetta (influenced by vedere to see), from earlier veletta, perhaps from Spanish vela watch, from velar to keep vigil, from Latin vigilāre

Example Sentences

Before nightfall we had no vedettes, for we overlooked the river, and every man was a vedette, as it were.

From Project Gutenberg

How they crept up close to the fort and captured a vedette within two gun-shots of the gate.

From Project Gutenberg

A vedette of cavalrymen acted as observers, defying fatigue, while patrol after patrol came through the fields of wheat and rye.

From Project Gutenberg

The sergeant halted within a few paces of the vedette, while I received instructions.

From Project Gutenberg

I asked Allen to go back and leave his piece at the picket-line; while he was gone I spoke in whispers to the vedette.

From Project Gutenberg