ballet

American  

[ba-ley, bal-ey] / bæˈleɪ, ˈbæl eɪ /

noun

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, bæˈlɛtɪk, 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

• balletic adjective
• balletically adverb

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

Breanna lives in Tacoma, Washington state, in the US and has trained in ballet, contemporary, and jazz dance since childhood.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

Then I remembered it was her day to pick up our granddaughter from after-school ballet.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Ballerina Farm, where former ballet dancer Hannah Neeleman makes a spectacle of her wifely submission, has over 10 million Instagram followers, despite a recent scandal over her company’s raw milk sales.

From Salon • Apr. 8, 2026

In the past, he has performed with ballet troupes and choirs, or floated just above the heads of the crowd.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

The ballet teacher reflected in the mirror clutched her throat as if Belet was about to launch herself at her.

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda

Related Words

• choreography
• dance