ballet

noun

bal·​let ba-ˈlā 

ˈba-ˌlā

1

a

: a theatrical art form using dancing, music, and scenery to convey a story, theme, or atmosphere

b

: dancing in which conventional poses and steps are combined with light flowing figures (such as leaps and turns)

2

: music for a ballet

3

: a group that performs ballets

4

: something likened to a ballet especially in complexity and precision of movement

Where else can you peek into the kitchen and see a quiet ballet of cooks, their entire attention focused on feeding a mere 65 people?

—Ruth Reichl

Rather, it is people and the daily ballet of urban life that make a city.

—Steven Earnest et al.

balletic

ba-ˈle-tik 

adjective

Examples of ballet in a Sentence

She does tap dancing and ballet.

We are going to a ballet tonight.

This is one of my favorite ballets.

Recent Examples on the Web

Beauty-wise, Hadid tied her hair back in a slick ballet bun, adding a few white rosettes, while completing the ensemble with an ever-so-slightly rosy makeup look. —Rachel Flynn, People.com, 17 May 2025

Think of the automatic on-your-feet laurels at stage-play curtain calls, the rote multiple encores at opera performances, the over-the-top reviews of just about any new ballet production and the mindless blurbing of literary novels. —Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2025

Chow Yun-fat’s bullet ballet is reloaded and ready to fire again on the Croisette. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 May 2025

Premiered in 1913, Stravinsky’s groundbreaking ballet score is renowned for its driving rhythms, daring harmonies, and bold orchestration. —David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, "theatrical presentation telling a story by means of dance and mime," borrowed from Italian balletto (also "short, well-done dance, semblance of a dance done for amusement"), from ballo "dance" (noun derivative of ballare "to dance," going back to Late Latin ballāre) + -etto, diminutive suffix — more at ball entry 3

First Known Use

1608, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing ballet

• corps de ballet
• water ballet

Rhymes for ballet

• airway
• allay
• archway
• array
• ashtray
• astray
• aue
• away
• belay
• beltway
• beret
• betray

Kids Definition

ballet

noun

bal·​let ˈbal-ā 

ba-ˈlā

1

a

: an art form that uses dancing to tell a story or express a theme

b

: dancing in which poses and steps are combined with leaps and turns

2

: a group that performs ballets

Etymology

from French ballet "ballet," derived from Italian ballare "to dance," from Latin ballare "to dance" — related to ball entry 3