A debutante (pronounced deb-you-TONT) is a young woman, usually around 17 or 18 years old, who is formally introduced to society at a special ball or event. The tradition comes from an old custom where wealthy families would present their daughters to high society, marking their transition from childhood to adulthood and their readiness to attend adult social events.

At a debutante ball, young women typically wear elegant white gowns and are escorted by young men in formal attire. They might perform a choreographed waltz or curtsy before the assembled guests. In some places, debutante balls are still held as fundraisers for charity or as celebrations of cultural heritage.

Today, people sometimes use debut more broadly to mean any first appearance: a singer makes her debut at a concert hall, or a new video game makes its debut in stores. The shortened form deb is sometimes used casually to refer to a debutante.

While debutante balls were once common in wealthy American and European society, they're less popular today. Some communities maintain the tradition as a way to preserve cultural customs or raise money for good causes, while in other places the practice has faded away.