Cinderella

noun

Cin·​der·​el·​la ˌsin-də-ˈre-lə 

: one resembling the fairy-tale Cinderella: such as

a

: one suffering undeserved neglect

b

: one suddenly lifted from obscurity to honor or significance

Cinderella adjective

Examples of Cinderella in a Sentence

a company that is the Cinderella of the computer industry

The team is the Cinderella of the tournament.

Recent Examples on the Web

Florida released a Disney World specialty license plate in 2021 featuring a silhouette of the Magic Kingdom’s Cinderella Castle. — Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 10 June 2026

The film's viral marketing, the question of whether the footage was real, and the Cinderella story of a micro-budget film becoming a massive box office success are as important to its legacy as anything else. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 5 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

after Cinderella, fairy-tale heroine who is used as a drudge by her stepmother but ends up married to a prince

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for Cinderella

• arabella
• bartonella
• bordetella
• citronella
• columella
• isabella
• klebsiella
• legionella
• mozzarella
• pasteurella
• salmonella
• trichinella