Standard Lemma guide

frou-frou

adj · noun · verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK, US: /ˈfɹuːfɹuː/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Liable to create the sound of rustling cloth, similar to 19th-century dresses.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Highly ornamented, overly elaborate; excessively girly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • They ate in a frou-frou restaurant at the top of a skyscraper.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Unimportant, silly, useless.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: derogatory

Examples

  • Bob was off faffing about doing frou-frou nonsense whilst Edwina kept her nose to the grindstone.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A rustling sound, particularly the rustling of a large silk dress.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: onomatopoeic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To move with the sound of rustling dresses.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, uncommon

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from French frou-frou, an onomatopoeia.