ballet

noun

bal·​let ba-ˈlā 

ˈba-ˌlā

1

a

: a theatrical art form using dancing, music, and scenery to convey a story, theme, or atmosphere

b

: dancing in which conventional poses and steps are combined with light flowing figures (such as leaps and turns)

2

: music for a ballet

3

: a group that performs ballets

4

: something likened to a ballet especially in complexity and precision of movement

Where else can you peek into the kitchen and see a quiet ballet of cooks, their entire attention focused on feeding a mere 65 people?

—Ruth Reichl

Rather, it is people and the daily ballet of urban life that make a city.

—Steven Earnest et al.

balletic

ba-ˈle-tik 

adjective

Examples of ballet in a Sentence

She does tap dancing and ballet.

We are going to a ballet tonight.

This is one of my favorite ballets.

Recent Examples on the Web

Loosely centered on the ballet Don Quixote (which is based on the 1600s Spanish novel), Act 2 speaks to kids ages 5–8 about themes of resilience, compassion and friendship—values Copeland says shaped her early years. —Essence, 4 Nov. 2025

Bluesy is a dancer and appeared to take both ballet and hip hop classes in the past, per her mom's social media. —Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025

Horan and Adéla created the Provocateur aesthetic of leotards, tapping into her ballet past and the avant-garde, almost alien-like looks that have accompanied her art and performances over the last year. —Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025

For the record, this is Romeo’s fourth time performing in one of Webre’s ballets. —David Lyman, Cincinnati Enquirer, 30 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, "theatrical presentation telling a story by means of dance and mime," borrowed from Italian balletto (also "short, well-done dance, semblance of a dance done for amusement"), from ballo "dance" (noun derivative of ballare "to dance," going back to Late Latin ballāre) + -etto, diminutive suffix — more at ball entry 3

First Known Use

1608, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing ballet

• corps de ballet
• water ballet

Rhymes for ballet

• airway
• allay
• archway
• array
• ashtray
• astray
• aue
• away
• belay
• beltway
• beret
• betray

Kids Definition

ballet

noun

bal·​let ˈbal-ā 

ba-ˈlā

1

a

: an art form that uses dancing to tell a story or express a theme

b

: dancing in which poses and steps are combined with leaps and turns

2

: a group that performs ballets

Etymology

from French ballet "ballet," derived from Italian ballare "to dance," from Latin ballare "to dance" — related to ball entry 3