ballet

noun

bal·​let ba-ˈlā 

ˈba-ˌlā

1

a

: a theatrical art form using dancing, music, and scenery to convey a story, theme, or atmosphere

b

: dancing in which conventional poses and steps are combined with light flowing figures (such as leaps and turns)

2

: music for a ballet

3

: a group that performs ballets

4

: something likened to a ballet especially in complexity and precision of movement

Where else can you peek into the kitchen and see a quiet ballet of cooks, their entire attention focused on feeding a mere 65 people?

—Ruth Reichl

Rather, it is people and the daily ballet of urban life that make a city.

—Steven Earnest et al.

balletic

ba-ˈle-tik 

adjective

Examples of ballet in a Sentence

She does tap dancing and ballet.

We are going to a ballet tonight.

This is one of my favorite ballets.

Recent Examples on the Web

The woven detailing on these square-toe ballet flats look like a designer pair that costs more than 14 times as much. — Caitlyn Fitzpatrick, Travel + Leisure, 2 July 2026

Barre3 is a fitness brand that combines barre—a workout based on classical ballet—with strength, cardio, and yoga techniques. — Hannah Harper, Health, 1 July 2026

The blister-proof ballet flats feature supple leather uppers, Ortholite insoles, and an especially versatile design that rivals pairs that cost over double the price. — Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 30 June 2026

Lawrence may not be the first actress to come to mind when thinking of ballet films, but the elegant dance form wasn't as foreign to Natalie Portman — the Black Swan star studied ballet from ages 4 to 12 years old, according to NPR. — Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, "theatrical presentation telling a story by means of dance and mime," borrowed from Italian balletto (also "short, well-done dance, semblance of a dance done for amusement"), from ballo "dance" (noun derivative of ballare "to dance," going back to Late Latin ballāre) + -etto, diminutive suffix — more at ball entry 3

First Known Use

1608, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing ballet

• corps de ballet
• water ballet

Rhymes for ballet

• airway
• allay
• archway
• array
• ashtray
• assez
• astray
• aue
• away
• belay
• beltway
• beret

Kids Definition

ballet

noun

bal·​let ˈbal-ā 

ba-ˈlā

1

a

: an art form that uses dancing to tell a story or express a theme

b

: dancing in which poses and steps are combined with leaps and turns

2

: a group that performs ballets

Etymology

from French ballet "ballet," derived from Italian ballare "to dance," from Latin ballare "to dance" — related to ball entry 3