Debutante
A debutante is young lady from a representative family who has reached the age of 18, and as a new adult is introduced to society at a formal presentation known as her "debut" or "coming out." Originally, it meant the young woman was eligible for marriage, and the tradition arose when noble families started seeking infusions of cash by marriage to wealthy bourgeoisie.
Debutante balls exist in nearly every major city in the United States. They are often charity occasions, in which the parents of the young ladies as well as all attending must contribute a certain sum of money to the cause at hand. For a list of debutante balls in the United States, see Cotillion.
In some U.S. Hispanic communities, a similar event occurs on a girl's 15th birthday. It is called a Quinceañera ceremony.
See also
External links
The Débutante, Chapter XVIII of Emily Post's Etiquette (1922), at Bartleby.com