  The star CD-42o11721 is a curious B[e] star sometimes pointed as an evolved
B[e] supergiant and sometimes as a young HAeBe star, due to very uncertain or
even unknown stellar parameters, especially the distance. In this paper, we
present new data gained from high-resolution optical spectroscopy and a
detailed description of IR data of this star. We present a qualitative study of
the numerous emission lines in our optical spectra and the classification of
their line profiles, which indicate a non-spherically symmetric circumstellar
environment. The first real detection of numerous [Fe II] emission lines and of
many other permitted and forbidden emission lines is reported. From our optical
data, we derive an effective temperature of 14000 K, a radius of 17.3 +/- 0.6
Rsun, as well as a luminosity of 1.0 +/- 0.3 x 10^{4} Lsun. We advocate that
CD-42o11721 might be a post-main sequence object, even though a pre-main
sequence nature cannot be ruled out due to the uncertain distance. We further
found that the SED in the optical and infrared can best be fitted with an
outflowing disk-forming wind scenario rather than with a spherical symmetric
envelope or with a flared disc, supporting our tentative classification as a
B[e] supergiant.

Astrophysics