ballerina

[ bal-uh-ree-nuh ]

noun

1. a principal female dancer in a ballet company. Compare prima ballerina.
2. any female ballet dancer.
3. a woman's very low-heeled or heelless shoe or slipper, made to resemble a ballet slipper.

ballerina

/ ˌbæləˈriːnə /

noun

1. a female ballet dancer
2. the principal female dancer of a ballet company

ballerina

1. In ballet , a female dancer. ( See prima ballerina .)

Word History and Origins

Origin of ballerina¹

1785–95; < Italian, feminine of ballerino professional dancer, probably equivalent to baller ( ia ) dance ( ball ( are ) to dance (< Late Latin; ball ² ) + -eria < Old French; -ery ) + -ino -ine ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of ballerina¹

C18: from Italian, feminine of ballerino dancing master, from ballare to dance, from Late Latin ballāre : see ball ²

Example Sentences

If the original CRISPR-Cas9 is a dancer with two left feet, prime editing is a highly-trained ballerina.

From Singularity Hub 

Silver-furred, shiny-eyed and svelte as they come, Tika boasts a jaw-dropping wardrobe of rainbow-streaked fleece, baggy sweatshirts, rose tulle ballerina dresses and more!

From Ozy

Carla Fracci, a reigning ballerina of the 20th century, acclaimed for the drama she conferred on roles such as Giselle, and for the ethereal grace she brought to stages in her native Italy and around the world, died May 27 at her home in Milan.

From Washington Post

Currently, I am a former professional dancer and former model, former ballerina.

From Ozy

In 1982, Allen hired a young, ambitious ballerina to dance on “Fame.”

From Washington Post

Olga had served as a professional ballerina for the Ballets Russes up until she met Picasso in 1917.

From The Daily Beast

Not necessarily having a big fat ass, because ballerina bodies are in.

From The Daily Beast

He was bisexual and a ballerina, and this was while I was at the Atlantic Theater Company in Vermont.

From The Daily Beast

After seeing Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova perform in Cairo, Iolas knew he wanted to be an artiste.

From The Daily Beast

Like the gymnast and the ballerina, the distance runner is often defined by drive and compulsion.

From The Daily Beast

There was something of the ballerina in her temperament, also, which she never entirely outgrew.

From Project Gutenberg

Yes; my daughter, she was here, and she is a ballerina and she was visiting Dallas a few times and she knew some people here.

From Project Gutenberg

You know, my daughter is ballerina and so even I have pictures somewhere with her.

From Project Gutenberg

Primo ballerino good; prima ballerina good, and people say pretty, but I have not seen her near.

From Project Gutenberg

He, Mr. Churchill, and Mr. Lloyd George might almost have been called rivals for the rle of prima ballerina assoluta.

From Project Gutenberg