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

Recognized for its extended vamp (that is, the upper portion of the shoe), this style lives at the intersection of a ballerina, a loafer, and a mule. — Bianca Kratky, Glamour, 29 Sep. 2026

The Cuban National Ballet, founded in the 1940s by revered ballerina Alicia Alonso and her husband Fernando Alonso, is considered one of the world’s most prestigious companies. — ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026

In one, a dark-haired man played the Camille Saint-Saëns song on a dusty violin while a ballerina in a fanlike feathery skirt danced the part of the swan. — Tom Drury, Harpers Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026

On the footwear front, refined sandals, in the harissa red hue, as well as ballerinas, in desert rose, took cues from the desert landscape. — Katie Abel, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 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

• ballerina flat
• ballerina shoe
• ballerina slipper
• 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