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 four styles include the $80 LoveShackFancy Classic Ballet in Pastel, a feminine silhouette with satin ribbons that can be attached to the shoe rivets and wrap around the ankle to mirror the quintessential ballerina look. —Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 27 Feb. 2026

The creation of its Cendrillon ballerina flat, specifically designed for Brigitte Bardot's role in the 1956 film, Et Dieu… créa la femme, propelled Repetto into mainstream fashion. —Shelby Comroe, InStyle, 25 Feb. 2026

Federico Fellini saw her in Spoleto and cast her as an American ballerina for the final party scene in La Dolce Vita (1960). —Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 25 Feb. 2026

Her current pale pink fits right in with the ballerina-pink palette that’s been trending for both lips and nails this spring. —Grace McCarty, Glamour, 23 Feb. 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