I just got a surprise. When I searched for "matinee" I got nothing. I entered ARTFL Webster 1913, and entered matinee
again. No such word. So I entered matin, then went to that
page, and there found "matinée", with defintion.

"The greatest treat an actor can have is to witness the pitiful performance with which all other actors desecrate the stage. In order to give himself this pleausre he will often forsake the sunniest Broadway corner between Thirty-fourth and Forty-fourth to attend a matineeoffering by his less gifted brothers."

I wonder how much the word is used nowadays.

I tried employee and divorcee, no problem.
But with amputee, no such word. I wonder how the lexicographers handle such words.

Very good question, if I understand you, wwh. Are you asking at what point do the lexicographers decide to ditch the accent aigu? I think it should be optional in English.

Well, as far as you and I are concerned, we can ditch it.
But why did the lexicographers choose to confound me?

Signals over. When I searched for the dictionaries by name,
both AHD and M-W had it. Wonder what Yahoo Search couldn't find it the way it usually does.