étui

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A small, usually ornamental case for holding articles such as needles.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A small case, especially one of ornamental character and intended to contain delicate or costly objects. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries such cases were carried hanging from the belt by ladies, and used to contain their utensils for needlework and some articles of the toilet.

Wiktionary

1. n. A small, ornamental bag or rigid container used for holding articles such as needles.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. A case for one or several small articles; esp., a box in which scissors, tweezers, and other articles of toilet or of daily use are carried.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. small ornamental ladies' bag for small articles