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

In terms of the fall 2026 footwear lineup, the Steffi block-heel ballerina, Davina stiletto mule and Lennox slouchy boot are all key styles showcased in the campaign. — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 17 Aug. 2026

The professional ballerina had spent decades building a career around movement, performing with American Ballet Theatre and The Joffrey Ballet and touring internationally with Broadway’s An American in Paris. — Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 17 Aug. 2026

Picasso painted Femme dans un fauteuil during his honeymoon with his first wife, the Russian ballerina Olga Khokhlova, near Biarritz. — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 14 Aug. 2026

One ballerina selected from her stash a leotard whose gray velour later read as metallic silver under the studio lights during her grand adagio. — Claire Salinda, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 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