soiree

[swah-rey] /swɑˈreɪ/
noun
1.
an evening party or social gathering, especially one held for a particular purpose:
a musical soiree.
Also, soirée.
Origin
1810-20; < French, equivalent to Old French soir evening (< Latin sērō late (adv.), orig. ablative of sērus) + -ée < Latin -āta, feminine of -ātus -ate1; cf. journey
Examples from the web for soiree
  • He hosts a party for time travelers, complete with champagne, and sends invitations after the soiree.
  • The format for this type of of public-television soiree is now familiar.
  • Really, it's the only way to handle the stress and responsibilities of soiree-throwing.
  • Later he should visit a musical soiree before returning home to await his lover.
  • The rooftop terrace is the ideal spot for a sunset soiree or for simply kicking back.
  • The springtime soiree highlights the importance of the trout as a mountain resource.
  • However, her protective parents wanted her close to home and stopped the silver screen soiree.
British Dictionary definitions for soiree

soiree

/ˈswɑːreɪ/
noun
1.
an evening party or other gathering given usually at a private house, esp where guests are invited to listen to, play, or dance to music
Word Origin
C19: from French, from Old French soir evening, from Latin sērum a late time, from sērus late
Word Origin and History for soiree
n.

"an evening party," 1793, from French soirée, from soir "evening," from Old French soir "evening, night" (10c.), from Latin sero (adv.) "late, at a late hour," from serum "late hour," neuter of serus "late," from PIE *se-ro-, suffixed form of root *se- (2) "long, late" (cf. Sanskrit sayam "in the evening," Lithuanian sietuva "deep place in a river," Old English sið "after," German seit "since," Gothic seiþus "late," Middle Irish sith, Middle Breton hir "long").