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, 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

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

I was expecting a spare space with nothing more than a mirror and ballet barre.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

Sure, the movements were thoughtful and precise, with the ballet barre providing postural support when needed.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

This led to the proliferation of the regional theater movement, said Eustis, as well as that of symphony orchestras and ballet companies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

Yoko Morishita was 3 years old when she first put on a pair of ballet shoes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

“Since—since I’m making such good progress, with the recovery and everything...do you think...when you said, ‘Before you know it, we’ll have you back in ballet school,’ what did that mean?

From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day

It all ultimately feels like five separate little ballets.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 13, 2026

Stravinsky had spent nearly two decades working inside self-imposed forms—neoclassical symphonies and ballets built on borrowed material.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 11, 2026

She also reimagined famous choreography from ballets like “The Nutcracker” and “Sleeping Beauty.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 17, 2025

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

From Seattle Times ● May 23, 2024

Stravinsky’s first spell of collaboration with Diaghilev comprised three ballets: The Firebird in 1910, Petrushka in 1911 and The Rite of Spring in 1913.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Related Words

• choreography
• dance