gamine

1 of 2

noun

ga·​mine ga-ˈmēn 

ˈga-ˌmēn

1

: a girl who hangs around on the streets

2

: a small playfully mischievous girl

gamine

2 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, or suggesting a gamine

Examples of gamine in a Sentence

Noun

a movie about a French gamine

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Thanks to Russell’s gamine pixie crop, the necklace’s central 11-carat stone twinkled alluringly at the nape of her neck, meaning that paparazzi were craning their necks for that 360 degree full-look view. —Laura Hawkins, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2024

Russell’s gamine look conjures up memories of another iconic pixie cut: that of Audrey Hepburn. —Hannah Coates, Vogue, 26 July 2024

Adjective

Here, the riding jacket was a key theme, constructed in gleaming silken tweeds above gamine miniskirts and youthful skorts. —Thomas Adamson, ajc, 24 Jan. 2023

Orton, a gamine-ish fifty-one, who lives with her family in London, had dressed sensibly for November in New York. —John Seabrook, The New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from French, feminine derivative of gamin gamin

Adjective

borrowed from French, derivative of gamin, gamine gamin, gamine entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1848, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1903, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

gamine

noun

ga·​mine

ga-ˈmēn

1

: an often poor girl who spends much of her time on the streets

2

: a small playfully mischievous girl