BALLERINA Definition & Meaning

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ballerina

[ bal-uh-ree-nuh ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a principal female dancer in a ballet company. Compare prima ballerina.
any female ballet dancer.
a woman's very low-heeled or heelless shoe or slipper, made to resemble a ballet slipper.

ballerina

/ ˌ��æ��əˈ��ː��ə /

noun

a female ballet dancer
the principal female dancer of a ballet company

ballerina

In ballet , a female dancer. ( See prima ballerina .)

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of ballerina¹

1785–95; < Italian, feminine of ballerino professional dancer, probably equivalent to baller ( ia ) dance ( ball ( are ) to dance (< Late Latin; ball ² ) + -eria < Old French; -ery ) + -ino -ine ¹

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of ballerina¹

C18: from Italian, feminine of ballerino dancing master, from ballare to dance, from Late Latin �� : see ball ²

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

He opened his wallet and insisted he pay for the ballerina clothes.

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The day of the attack was the first time Leanne had met Alice, and the "beautiful smile" of this "confident ballerina" left an impression.

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Renowned 20th Century ballerina Markova, a co-founder of the English National Ballet and an influential figure in the Royal Ballet, will also be celebrated with a blue plaque at her childhood home in Muswell Hill.

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"It was about making people aware of what being a ballerina is really like and showing that what happened to me was unacceptable."

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We were at a performing arts school where she was a ballerina, I was an actress.

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