Synonyms

prima ballerina

American

[pree-muh] / ˈpri mə /

noun

the principal ballerina in a ballet company.

prima ballerina British

/ ˈpriːmə /

noun

a leading female ballet dancer

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

prima ballerina Cultural

The leading ballerina in a dance company.

Etymology

Origin of prima ballerina

1895–1900; < Italian: literally, first ballerina

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.

The story is completely absurd, filled with plot holes and characters as thin as a prima ballerina.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026

Garr fancied herself a prima ballerina, obsessively pursuing that goal after her father died.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 29, 2024

Lives Lived: The former prima ballerina Lupe Serrano helped define ballet in America and was a beloved teacher to generations of dancers.

From New York Times • Jan. 18, 2023

The Royal Ballet's prima ballerina extraordinaire told Plomley she was looking forward to living on a desert island as she would be "delighted" to get away from the telephone.

From BBC • Oct. 12, 2022

“Look at me, Mother. I’m five-nine and still growing. I’m not prima ballerina material.”

From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023