Cinderella
noun
a heroine of a fairy tale or folk tale who is maltreated by a malevolent stepmother but achieves happiness and marries a prince through the benevolent intervention of a fairy godmother.
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Cinderella
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“Cinderella”
“Cinderella”A fairy tale from the collection of Charles Perrault. Cinderella, a young girl, is forced by her stepmother and stepsisters to do heavy housework and relaxes by sitting among the cinders by the fireplace. One evening, when the prince of the kingdom is holding a ball, Cinderella's fairy godmother visits her, magically dresses her for the ball, turns a pumpkin into a magnificent carriage for her, warns her not to stay past midnight, and sends her off. Cinderella captivates the prince at the ball but leaves just as midnight is striking, and in her haste she drops a slipper; as the story is usually told in English, the slipper is made of glass. She returns home with her fine clothes turned back into rags and her carriage a pumpkin again. The prince searches throughout the kingdom for the owner of the slipper. Cinderella is the only one whom it fits, and the prince marries her.
Cinderella
American
[sin-duh-rel-uh]
/ ˌsɪn dəˈrɛl ə /
noun
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Cinderellas
plural
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a heroine of a fairy tale or folk tale who is maltreated by a malevolent stepmother but achieves happiness and marries a prince through the benevolent intervention of a fairy godmother.
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(italics) the tale itself, the earliest version of which is in Chinese and dates from the 9th century a.d.
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(italics) a ballet (1945) with musical score by Sergei Prokofiev.
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a person or thing of merit, undeservedly neglected or forced into a wretched or obscure existence.
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a person or thing that achieves unexpected or sudden success or recognition, especially after obscurity, neglect, or misery (often used attributively).
Which team will find themselves the Cinderella of this year’s college basketball season?
Cinderella
British
/ ˌsɪndəˈrɛlə /
noun
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a girl who achieves fame after being obscure
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a poor, neglected, or unsuccessful person or thing
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( as modifier )
a Cinderella service within the NHS
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(modifier) relating to dramatic success
a Cinderella story
“Cinderella”
Cultural
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The name Cinderella is sometimes applied to a person or group that undergoes a sudden transformation, such as an athletic team that loses frequently and then starts to win steadily.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of Cinderella
First recorded in 1840–50; partial translation of French Cendrillon “Little Ashes,” from Charles Perrault’s Cendrillon, ou la petite pantoufle de verre “Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper” (1697)
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"Mental health services within the NHS are a Cinderella service," he said.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
The 32-year-old told AFP he has been reading copiously since relinquishing his weapon, and has particularly enjoyed his copy of "Cinderella."
From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026
Rags-to-riches stories tend to be as fabulistic as tales designed to sell the upper class as fair and solicitous to the needs of working people, or amenable to Cinderella fantasies.
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026
JG: Everyone loves to see a Cinderella in a tournament.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026
So this is who all will be in our village: the Price family, Lone Ranger, Cinderella, Briar Rose, and the Tribes of Ham.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
This season’s story has hints of “Cinderella” in it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 29, 2026
We say that the “Cinderella” story is rags to riches, but in all versions, especially the European ones, she is a noble girl put into the kitchen by her wicked stepmother.
From Salon ● Apr. 18, 2025
“Matilda the Musical” runs May 26-June 16 and “Cinderella” runs July 27-Aug.
From Seattle Times ● May 20, 2024
Thinking more about the film, she brought up the 1997 made-for-TV film version of “Cinderella” that featured a Black Disney princess, played by Brandy, and a Black fairy godmother, played by Whitney Houston.
From New York Times ● May 24, 2023
South Australia has been called the “Cinderella” of the Australian Colonies, not only because she was the youngest, but also because of the character of her constitution.
From The Chronicles of a Gay Gordon by J. M. (Joseph Maria) Gordon
With all due respect to the heartwarming Cinderellas of this tournament, the reason we tune in every four years isn’t to witness the exploits of Cape Verde or Canada.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
The Cinderellas certainly had their moments in this March Madness.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 4, 2023
That proved to be the magic number: no byes, two days of first-round upsets that captivated the country, real Cinderellas getting their moment — or in Butler’s case, moments — in the spotlight.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 16, 2022
But one program has given reason for Cinderellas to dream big.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2022
"I'll get your Cinderellas now, if you like," he said.
From None Other Gods by Robert Hugh Benson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
