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
Ruth ReichlRather, it is people and the daily ballet of urban life that make a city.—Steven Earnest et al.
Steven Earnest et al.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
Leading up to the conversation, Gaines tells Parents he and his daughter, Emery, were supposed to go to a father-daughter dance at her ballet school.
—Anna Halkidis, Parents, 26 Apr. 2024
Expand All The man accused in the beating death earlier this week of a transgender woman just outside a Miami Beach ballet hall was not only denied bond during his first court appearance Thursday, but had the charge against him upped to first-degree murder.
—Charles Rabin, Miami Herald, 26 Apr. 2024
The aesthetic arrived in 2020, trotting towards us in silk ballet flats and little bows, armed with Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita.
—Liana Satenstein, Vogue, 25 Apr. 2024
In one September 2009 incident, Osiris Esparza and her aunt Monica Esparza headed home from ballet class in Natomas.
—Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 23 Apr. 2024
Two of the biggest fashion trends right now are ballet flats and the color red.
—Selene Oliva, Glamour, 22 Apr. 2024
Also all over the streets lately are ballet flats, which Meghan Markle has been repeatedly wearing, as well as fun platform sandals à la Joanna Gaines.
—Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 20 Apr. 2024
Dance Theatre of Harlem’s first official performance was in 1971, and the company, with support form such legendary dance world figures and George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, evolved into one of the top ballet troupes in the country.
—Randy McMullen, The Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2024
Costumes are by renowned costume designer Lauren Carmen, a former ballet dancer who has dressed performers across the world.
—James Russell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Apr. 2024
Anna Halkidis, Parents, 26 Apr. 2024
Expand All The man accused in the beating death earlier this week of a transgender woman just outside a Miami Beach ballet hall was not only denied bond during his first court appearance Thursday, but had the charge against him upped to first-degree murder.
—Charles Rabin, Miami Herald, 26 Apr. 2024
The aesthetic arrived in 2020, trotting towards us in silk ballet flats and little bows, armed with Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita.
—Liana Satenstein, Vogue, 25 Apr. 2024
In one September 2009 incident, Osiris Esparza and her aunt Monica Esparza headed home from ballet class in Natomas.
—Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 23 Apr. 2024
Two of the biggest fashion trends right now are ballet flats and the color red.
—Selene Oliva, Glamour, 22 Apr. 2024
Also all over the streets lately are ballet flats, which Meghan Markle has been repeatedly wearing, as well as fun platform sandals à la Joanna Gaines.
—Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 20 Apr. 2024
Dance Theatre of Harlem’s first official performance was in 1971, and the company, with support form such legendary dance world figures and George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, evolved into one of the top ballet troupes in the country.
—Randy McMullen, The Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2024
Costumes are by renowned costume designer Lauren Carmen, a former ballet dancer who has dressed performers across the world.
—James Russell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ballet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near ballet
Cite this Entry
“Ballet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ballet. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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