suffix, forming diminutive sbs., represents OF. -ette, the fem. form corresponding to the masc. -et: see -ET. In early Eng. use the Fr. -et and -ette (OF. -ete) were not clearly distinguished, and in 15th c. -ette is a mere variant spelling of -et; e.g., the OF. basinet occurs sometimes in Eng. as basinette. The older adoptions of Fr. words in -ette, so far as they survive, are now written with -ET; the spelling -ette belongs chiefly to words introduced since 17th c., as chemisette, cigarette, eprouvette, etiquette, pipette, serviette. During the present century a few words have been formed by the addition of -ette to Eng. sbs.; most of these, as leaderette, sermonette, essayette, can scarcely be said to be in good use, though often met with in newspapers; wagonette, however, is well established. Formations of this kind are very common in the names given by manufacturers to materials intended as imitations of something else: one such word which has come into general use is leatherette.
1849. J. Wilson, in Blackw. Mag., LXVI. 19. This side of the glen … is known to be a descent but by the pretty little cataractettes playing at leap-frog.
1887. Mod. Newspaper, Great sale of Brussellette carpets. Messrs. ——’s plushettes.
