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Definition of ballerina

ballerina

/ˌbæləˈriːnə/
bal · le · ri · na
Plural:ballerinas
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ballerina Lexical Profile

ballerina Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A female ballet dancer, especially a principal female soloist in a professional ballet company.

Example

"The young ballerina practiced her pirouettes in front of the studio mirror for hours before opening night."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for ballerina

Word Nuance & Usage

In strict classical ballet terminology, "ballerina" refers exclusively to a principal female soloist in a company, though in everyday English it is widely used for any female ballet dancer. A male ballet dancer is referred to as a danseur or ballet dancer, or rarely a ballerino.

• Rhymes for ballerina

• Nearby Words

ballboy
ballcarrier
baller
ballerina
ballet
balletic
ballfield

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the late 18th century from Italian ballerina, the feminine form of ballerino ('dancer'), derived from ballare ('to dance'), which comes from Late Latin ballare and ultimately from Ancient Greek ballizein ('to dance or jump about').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Ballerina. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/ballerina
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