pirouette

noun

pir·​ou·​ette ˌpir-ə-ˈwet 

: a rapid whirling about of the body

especially : a full turn on the toe or ball of one foot in ballet

pirouette intransitive verb

Synonyms

• gyration
• reel
• revolution
• roll
• rotation
• spin
• twirl
• wheel
• whirl

Examples of pirouette in a Sentence

the elegant pirouettes of the prima ballerina

the ballerina's perfectly executed pirouette

Recent Examples on the Web

Listen closely, and her control of pitch and timbre speaks to a dazzlingly exacting vision for her music, every pirouette mapped out with an engineer’s precision. —Pitchfork, 3 Dec. 2024

Just a few minutes earlier, Maiava had tried a similar pocket pirouette, only to be brought down for a sack. —Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 24 Nov. 2024

Try your hand at a pirouette on the ice rink followed by a stroll around the wooden huts hawking everything from ornaments and crafts to Norwegian treats like gløgg, the Scandinavian version of mulled wine. —Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 20 Nov. 2024

Josh Gad was all about pirouettes and strict criticism this Halloween. —Michelle Lee, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, teetotum

First Known Use

1706, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

pirouette

noun

pir·​ou·​ette ˌpir-ə-ˈwet 

: a rapid whirling of the body

especially : a full turn on the toe or ball of one foot in ballet

pirouette verb