Did you know?
If you suspected that "balletomane" originated with the idea of a "mania" for ballet, you are correct. What you may not have guessed is that the language that inspired English speakers to borrow the word in the 1930s was Russian. Balletomane derives from the Russian noun "baletoman," which in turn combines the word for "ballet" ("balet") and the suffix -man, from "maniya" (meaning "mania"). The English words "mania" and "ballet" did not, however, come from Russian. ("Mania" comes from Latin and Greek, and "ballet" comes from French and Italian.) "Balletomane" is therefore somewhat unusual, both for its Russian origins and for the fact that it does not follow the more traditional "-phile" model for words meaning "someone who likes a specified thing."
Examples of balletomane in a Sentence
New York Times, 22 Oct. 2020
Together the balletomane couple had helped launch the SAB Diversity Initiative, which has allowed dozens of dancers, like Farley, to find their footing in the world of ballet.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 9 Mar. 2022
William Garnett Hamilton did not set out to be a Manhattan doctor, let alone a balletomane.
—New York Times, 13 Apr. 2022
Born in Chicago in 1925 and educated at Harvard, the bearded Gorey is remembered as a cat person, an avid reader, and the ultimate balletomane.
—Vogue, 30 Oct. 2021
Haas’ column was a high priority for Aline, a lifelong balletomane.
—David Lyman, The Enquirer, 11 Aug. 2020
The event is known to lure fashionable balletomanes, and last night followed suit.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 21 May 2019
Funds for these scholarships come from many places, but the most glamorous source is the ballet school’s annual Winter Ball, where black-tie balletomanes enjoy a gala dinner and performance given by students of the SAB.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 18 Mar. 2019
The relationship that proved most enduring was with Paul Magriel, an art dealer and balletomane.
—Mark Holgate, Vogue, 7 Jan. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Balletomane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/balletomane. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
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