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

Chaos reigns in the studio as ballerinas, toy soldiers, and puppets scatter across the screen. —Erik Morse, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025

During the 2000s, as the Dance Theatre of Harlem faced financial hardship and went on hiatus, opportunities for Black ballerinas dwindled. —Okla Jones, Essence, 23 Oct. 2025

At the Paris Opera, there is only one Black ballerina in their highest rank. —Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025

Boxer and YouTuber Jake Paul has also been the subject of a slew of fake videos depicting him coming out as gay, giving makeup tutorials or dancing in a ballerina outfit. —Angela Yang, NBC news, 20 Oct. 2025

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