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

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

Works by Italian artist Giacomo Manzù (including a 1,200-pound bronze sculpture of a ballerina), Bruno d’Arcevia, and Mario Moretto were also taken. — Theo Belci, Artforum, 7 Aug. 2026

The shoes have two stretchy, criss-crossing straps that are comfortable and cute, really playing into their ballerina inspiration. — Kaelin Dodge, InStyle, 4 Aug. 2026

In 2016, Jagger welcomed his youngest child, son Deveraux, with his fiancée, former ballerina Melanie Hamrick. — Emily J. Shiffer, PEOPLE, 28 July 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