'ariette' originates from Italian, specifically the word 'arietta', where 'aria' meant 'air' or 'melody' and the diminutive suffix '-etta' meant 'little'.

'arietta' passed into French as 'ariette' and was later borrowed into English as 'ariette'.

Initially, it meant 'little aria'; over time it has retained that sense and is used in English to mean 'a short aria' or brief operatic song.