ballerina

noun

bal·​le·​ri·​na ˌba-lə-ˈrē-nə 

: a woman who is a ballet dancer : danseuse

Examples of ballerina in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But actually, Fernando was a world-class athlete who played with the grace of a ballerina. —Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2024

The character comes across various sources including monochrome portraits of Blum’s late grandmother, the Ukrainian ballerina Daria Nyzankiwska and archival dance rehearsal footage, which influence her choreography and gestures. —Lee Sharrock, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024

Screenwriter Shay Hatten sold a spec script featuring the ballerina character to Lionsgate in 2017 and ended up contributing to the Parabellum screenplay and serving as lead writer on Chapter 4. —Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 26 Sep. 2024

There was also a Black woman harpist, a presentation from a Black ballerina, the cutest audio guestbook for guests to offer advice and well-wishes, and a reception performance from Q of 112 fame. —Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 13 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Italian, "woman who dances professionally or for pleasure," feminine counterpart of ballarino, ballerino "professional dancer, person who loves to dance," from ballare "to dance" (going back to Late Latin ballāre) + -ar-, -er-, extension in nominal derivation + -ino, suffix of occupations (as in postino "mailman," scalpellino "stonemason"), going back to Latin -īnus -ine entry 1 — more at ball entry 3

First Known Use

1815, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing ballerina

• prima ballerina

Kids Definition

ballerina

noun

bal·​le·​ri·​na ˌbal-ə-ˈrē-nə 

: a female ballet dancer