# Is there a word in the English language that means...
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-in-the-english-language-that-means/295709
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [March 22, 2005, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-in-the-english-language-that-means/295709 "2005-03-22T13:47:18Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2005, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-in-the-english-language-that-means/295709/1 "2005-03-22T13:47:18Z")
Sorry for the half-title, but it’d be too long to put in the subject.
Anyway, a friend told me that Spansih(in Honduras anyway) has a word that means “wearing an article of clothing for the first time”.
The closest we could get in English was “to debut”, but this isn’t exclusive to clothing. Is there a word that would work as a direct translation?
Thanks!
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### Author:  [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2005, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-in-the-english-language-that-means/295709/2 "2005-03-22T14:03:05Z")
All I can think of is “investiture”, but that refers to a ceremonial donning of special clothing, not merely, “I’m wearing my new dress for the first time”.
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### Author:  [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2005, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-in-the-english-language-that-means/295709/3 "2005-03-22T19:35:18Z")
I’ll [Liff](http://www.urticator.net/essay/1/188.html) it with [Wearhead](http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=386050&y=539550&z=3&sv=386050,539550&st=4&ar=Y&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf&dn=770)
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### Author:  [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2005, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-in-the-english-language-that-means/295709/4 "2005-03-22T20:12:30Z")
> [@Peter Morris](#):
>
> I’ll [Liff](http://www.urticator.net/essay/1/188.html) it with [Wearhead](http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=386050&y=539550&z=3&sv=386050,539550&st=4&ar=Y&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf&dn=770)
You really need a verb. How about [Newbigging](http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=57.0182&lon=-2.233&scale=25000&icon=x)?
Unless the item of clothing in question is a new pair of underpants, in which case you might get a touch of [Tickford End](http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=52.085&lon=-0.714&scale=25000&icon=x).
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### Author:  [@Asteroide](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asteroide)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2005, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-in-the-english-language-that-means/295709/5 "2005-03-22T22:08:17Z")
Well, I mostly _inaugurate_ my new stuff, but I’ve heard IT guys put their new Birkenstocks _into production_, management consultants _implement_ their new Hugo Boss suits, and movie people _avant-premiering_ their new Chuck Taylors. I guess if you were a rocket scientist you might _launch_ your new lab coats, but I don’t know any rocket scientists.
What was the original Spanish word ?
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### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [April 9, 2005, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-in-the-english-language-that-means/295709/6 "2005-04-09T13:04:49Z")
> [@Asteroide](#):
>
> What was the original Spanish word ?
Estrenar
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### Author:  [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)
#### Post date: [April 9, 2005, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-in-the-english-language-that-means/295709/7 "2005-04-09T13:23:17Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#):
>
> Estrenar
I think in Colombia they say “estrenar” to mean “go out and be seen very fashionably dressed.”
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### Author:  [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)
#### Post date: [April 9, 2005, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-in-the-english-language-that-means/295709/8 "2005-04-09T16:26:38Z")
“Show off.” Not in the sense that you’re being a “big showoff,” but rather “to show off for the first time.”
“I’m going to show off my new jeans today.”
“Voy a estrenar mis neuvos jeans hoy.”
That’s Mexican Spanish usage. My English usage almost meshes with **etmiller** ’s Columbian usage, in that “show off” in English isn’t limited to only “for the first time.”
Babelfish tells me the literal translation is “release,” although I’ve never heard it used thus. It’s always used in the sense of “premier,” or with clothing as already discussed.
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### Author:  [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)
#### Post date: [April 9, 2005, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-in-the-english-language-that-means/295709/9 "2005-04-09T16:33:48Z")
Vogueing? Stylin’and profilin’?
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### Author:  [@tofergregg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tofergregg)
#### Post date: [April 9, 2005, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-in-the-english-language-that-means/295709/10 "2005-04-09T17:27:31Z")
Why not _[christen](http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=christen)_?
-Tofer
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### Author:  [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2005, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-in-the-english-language-that-means/295709/11 "2005-04-10T01:19:25Z")
Odd…Even before **Mahaloth** gave the Spanish equivalent, I was thinking of the Frech one, which is…_étrenner_.
I checked in two English-French dictionaries, and both give
“to use/wear for the first time”
So there doesn’t seem to be **one** word in English to render this meaning.
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### Author:  [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2005, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-in-the-english-language-that-means/295709/12 "2005-04-10T07:57:21Z")
I can’t ever remember hearing the word in actual use, but I was taught that “estrenar” means, sort of, “to debut”. According to my teacher, it doesn’t have to refer to clothing necessarily (though it may be that this is one of the most typical uses of the word - her examples did specifically have to do with her clothing.)