port de bras

noun

: the technique and practice of arm movement in ballet

Examples of port de bras in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Fifth-position port de bras. Jeffrey Gantz, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Oct. 2022 Surrounded by Nets players, Tatum stretches into the air, his arm extending toward the basket in an elegant port de bras. New York Times, 28 June 2022 Along the way, there's a whole lot of pointe work, pliés, and port de bras, made possible by the fact the producers cast real dancers in the lead roles. Ruth Kinane, EW.com, 16 Dec. 2020 Clad in white, the corps de ballet descends a ramp to the stage in a diagonal snaking pattern, repeating a meditative sequence of arabesques and port de bras. Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2019 By the looks of her social media, Miller is under an intense physical therapy regimen to try and make that happen, even completing a port de bras in one video. Mackenzie Dunn, Woman's Day, 23 May 2019 Lane tended to rely on her steely legwork, as though her upper body port de bras were tacked on as an afterthought. Laura Bleiberg, latimes.com, 11 Dec. 2017

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, carriage of the arm

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of port de bras was in 1912

Dictionary Entries Near port de bras

Cite this Entry

“Port de bras.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/port%20de%20bras. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on port de bras

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!