ballet

American  

[ba-ley, bal-ey] / bæˈleɪ, ˈbæl eɪ /

noun

• ballets
  plural

1. a classical dance form demanding grace and precision and employing formalized steps and gestures set in intricate, flowing patterns to create expression through movement.

2. a theatrical entertainment in which ballet dancing and music, often with scenery and costumes, combine to tell a story, establish an emotional atmosphere, etc.

3. an interlude of ballet in an operatic performance.

4. a company of ballet dancers.

5. the musical score for a ballet.

   the brilliant ballets of Tchaikovsky.

6. a dance or balletlike performance.

   an ice-skating ballet.

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ballet British  

/ bæˈleɪ, ˈbæleɪ /

noun

1. 1. a classical style of expressive dancing based on precise conventional steps with gestures and movements of grace and fluidity

   2. ( as modifier )

      ballet dancer

2. a theatrical representation of a story or theme performed to music by ballet dancers

3. a troupe of ballet dancers

4. a piece of music written for a ballet

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ballet Cultural  

1. Theatrical entertainment in which dancers, usually accompanied by music, tell a story or express a mood through their movements. The technique of ballet is elaborate and requires many years of training. Two classical ballets are Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, composed by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Two great modern ballets are The Rite of Spring, composed by Igor Stravinsky, and Fancy Free, by Leonard Bernstein.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• balletic
  adjective
• balletically
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• ballets
  plural

Etymology

Origin of ballet

1660–70; < French, Middle French < Italian balletto, equivalent to ball ( o ) ball ² + -etto -et

Explanation

Ballet is a form of dance that uses scenery, music, and the movements of the dancers to tell a story. Learning classical ballet takes years of training. Ballet also refers to the music written for a ballet. Famous ballets include "The Nutcracker," "Swan Lake," and "Romeo and Juliet." The word ballet comes from the French word ballet, originally ballette, which itself is from the Latin word ballare, which means "to dance." The word ball, meaning a festive party with dancing, comes from the same Latin word.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ballet ballets

Teasdale learnt both ballet and gymnastics to develop his footwork and skills in the ring and was seemingly set for stardom.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

“The ballet is not a narrative,” says Mr. Thomas, and though he’s referring to a specific piece, he might be speaking for the art form at large.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

Suit trousers were paired with a leather jacket, a boater hat and ballet slippers.

From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026

Fans can expect performances spanning symphony orchestras, ballet, jazz, opera and theater as well as events with libraries, bookstores, coffee shops, yogurt/ice cream shops and more.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

For, really, what were the odds of finding a letter from the tsar’s own ballet company lying on the doorstep?

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

For the occasion, artistic director Susan Jaffe astutely chose 11 one-act ballets and four pas de deux.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2025

If you go back to the 15th and 16th centuries, ballets were like a party, like combining the Met Gala with a high school prom and a giant party — that’s what it was.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2024

How much do you know about one of the most impactful ballets and what will that look like?

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2024

Stafford and Whelan have commissioned 12 ballets by choreographers of color in the last six years, it says.

From Seattle Times ● May 23, 2024

Even though The Firebird, Petrushka and The Rite of Spring ballets all have narrative threads, Stravinsky played against this tendency in his scores for them.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Related Words

• choreography
• dance