ballon

American  

[ba-lawn] / baˈlɔ̃ /

Or balon

noun

Ballet.

1. the lightness and grace of movement that make a dancer appear buoyant.

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Etymology

Origin of ballon

First recorded in 1820–30; from French: literally, “balloon” ( see balloon), describing a dancer who appeared to be floating in the air while executing a jump or other movement

Explanation

Ballon refers to the light and effortless movement of a dancer. A ballerina with ballon can make you think she's floating in the air after leaping up. The word has been in use since the 1800s and comes from the French word for "balloon," originally used to describe the light and smooth movement of ballet dancers. Ballon is a skill that reflects exceptional training that combines strength, control, and grace to create movements that look almost magical.

Example Sentences

Which ballon did they want - white, purple or pink?

From Washington Times • Oct. 4, 2023

Ses invasions s’étendent depuis le fond de la mer des Caraïbes jusqu’à l’atmosphère, à une altitude de 35 km au-dessus de la surface terrestre, par le biais d’un ballon blanc pour parer à tout soupçon.

From New York Times • Feb. 12, 2023

Both Orbital Reef and Starlab would have a segment that would inflate like a ballon after it reaches space.

From Washington Post • Oct. 25, 2021

A ballon artist twisted up renditions of🎄 as ESPN’s Latoya Peterson finalized her remarks on the subtext of race in emoji, questioning which cultural foods 🍥, for example, should be widely available.

From Time • Nov. 6, 2016

Fouchette buried her dainty nose in the last "ballon."

From Mlle. Fouchette A Novel of French Life by Murray, Charles Theodore