pas de chat

noun

plural pas de chat ˌpä-də-ˈsha How to pronounce pas de chat (audio)
: a ballet leap from one foot to the other in which the feet are drawn up and the knees are bent so that the legs form a diamond

Examples of pas de chat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web There’s a long, fertile overlap between the realms of the catwalk and pas de chat: Fashion heavyweights including Christian Lacroix, Prada and Rodarte have designed ballet costumes, and ballerinas such as Margot Fonteyn have sported couture offstage. Celia Wren, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pas de chat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, cat's step

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pas de chat was in 1914

Dictionary Entries Near pas de chat

Cite this Entry

“Pas de chat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pas%20de%20chat. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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