: a ballet position in which the body is balanced on the extreme tip of the toe

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Today’s pointe shoes are constructed around a box cushioning the toes. Madison Mainwaring, The New Republic, 19 Apr. 2023 Her specialty is spinning up to 30 hula hoops at a time on various body parts, or fewer while on pointe, juggling several hoops while doing splits and more. Alix Wall, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2023 Some include pointe, square and rounded shapes to perfectly complement a pant leg. Good Housekeeping, 29 Mar. 2023 Talent: Classical ballet en pointe. Mary Colurso | Mcolurso@al.com, al, 12 Dec. 2022 Lovette and Inoue fell into deep plies on pointe, inching across the stage like spiders. Steven Vargas, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2023 The Jessica Simpson Mandayss Ballet Flat is a classic ballet flat with elastic straps that cross over the ankles to not only give the illusion of a pointe shoe, but also provide support and prevent your heel from sliding out. Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2023 Bottega ballerinas skip the obvious pointe shoe references for a sleeker toe shape, a slightly elevated heel, and a fuzzy faux-fur outer. Harper's BAZAAR, 22 Feb. 2023 There’s plenty of pointe work for women and bravura jumps for men, but the feminine and masculine styles foundational to ballet are somehow made neutral. Jennifer Homans, The New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pointe.' 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 pointe (du pied), literally, tiptoe

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pointe was in 1846

Dictionary Entries Near pointe

Cite this Entry

“Pointe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pointe. Accessed 2 Jun. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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