A tutu is a costume worn by female ballet dancers. It has a very short stiff skirt made of many layers of material that sticks out from the waist.
tutu in British English1
(ˈtuːtuː)
noun
a very short skirt worn by ballerinas, made of projecting layers of stiffened sheer material
Word origin
from French, changed from the nursery word cucu backside, from cul, from Latin cūlus the buttocks
tutu in British English2
(ˈtuːtuː)
noun
a shrub, Coriaria arborea, of New Zealand, having seeds that are poisonous to farm animals
Word origin
Māori
Tutu in British English
(ˈtuːtuː)
noun
Desmond. born 1931, South African clergyman, noted for his opposition to apartheid: Anglican Bishop of Johannesburg (1984–86) and Archbishop of Cape Town (1986–96); in 1995 he became leader of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, established to investigate human rights violations during the apartheid era. Nobel peace prize 1984
tutu in American English
(ˈtuˌtu; French tyˈty)
noun
a very short, full, projecting skirt worn by ballerinas
Put the Mariinsky in a white tutu ballet and something magical happens.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Another was in a pink tutu, while a third wore a gold dress.
The Sun (2016)
Cole is as likely to become an underwear model as he is to take the field against Scotland this afternoon wearing a tutu.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In her audition, dressed in a pink tutu, she received a standing ovation.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It thrills audiences with its elegant portraits of the classical white tutu style, and it gives dancers the chance to show what they are really made of.