ballerina

noun

bal·​le·​ri·​na ˌba-lə-ˈrē-nə 

: a woman who is a ballet dancer : danseuse

Examples of ballerina in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The story unfolds when Fonteyn, the greatest ballerina in the West, is 42 and sensing her career is over. —Leo Barraclough, Variety, 22 Apr. 2026

The video, directed by Gus Black and co-starring Madeline Argy and Gavin Casalegno, sees Sombr performing the track while during by dancing ballerinas. —Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2026

The on-trend ballerina sneaker has a laceless exterior and slip-on velcro closure. —Kaitlin Clapinski, InStyle, 13 Apr. 2026

After the first sunny spring day, Parisians have officially packed up their winter wardrobe and replaced knits and boots with breezy trench coats and elegant ballerina flats—a look the French are perhaps most famous for. —Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Italian, "woman who dances professionally or for pleasure," feminine counterpart of ballarino, ballerino "professional dancer, person who loves to dance," from ballare "to dance" (going back to Late Latin ballāre) + -ar-, -er-, extension in nominal derivation + -ino, suffix of occupations (as in postino "mailman," scalpellino "stonemason"), going back to Latin -īnus -ine entry 1 — more at ball entry 3

First Known Use

1815, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing ballerina

• prima ballerina

Rhymes for ballerina

• acarina
• casuarina
• celestina
• concertina
• filipina
• foramina
• leucaena
• littorina
• scarlatina
• semolina
• serotina
• signorina

Kids Definition

ballerina

noun

bal·​le·​ri·​na ˌbal-ə-ˈrē-nə 

: a female ballet dancer