Debut

Chambers's Encyclopaedia, Volume 3: Catarrh to Dion, p. 719

Debut (début), a French word which has been adopted into the English language, signifying generally a beginning or entrance, but specially applied to the first appearance of an actor or actress on the stage at all, or to a first appearance in a particular theatre. In these circumstances, the actor is called a débutant; the actress, a débutante.

Source scan(s): p. 0730