Did you know?
If you suspected that "balletomane" originated with the idea of a "mania" for ballet, you are correct. What you may not have guessed is that the language that inspired English speakers to borrow the word in the 1930s was Russian. Balletomane derives from the Russian noun "baletoman," which in turn combines the word for "ballet" ("balet") and the suffix -man, from "maniya" (meaning "mania"). The English words "mania" and "ballet" did not, however, come from Russian. ("Mania" comes from Latin and Greek, and "ballet" comes from French and Italian.) "Balletomane" is therefore somewhat unusual, both for its Russian origins and for the fact that it does not follow the more traditional "-phile" model for words meaning "someone who likes a specified thing."
Examples of balletomane in a Sentence
New York Times, 13 Apr. 2022
Together the balletomane couple had helped launch the SAB Diversity Initiative, which has allowed dozens of dancers, like Farley, to find their footing in the world of ballet.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 9 Mar. 2022
Haas’ column was a high priority for Aline, a lifelong balletomane.
—David Lyman, The Enquirer, 11 Aug. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Balletomane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/balletomane. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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