noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˌbæləɹˈiːnə/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -iːnə
CMU ARPABET:B AE2 L ER0 IY1 N AH0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A ballet dancer (unisex term)
A female ballet dancer.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: nonstandard, often
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A ballet dancer (unisex term)
A female ballet dancer.
Ellipsis of prima ballerina (“the star female ballet performer in the company”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, nonstandard, often
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: prima ballerina, prima donna, prima
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A ballet dancer (unisex term)
A male ballet dancer; Synonym of ballerino.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: nonstandard, uncommon
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A ballet flat shoe.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
a female ballet dancer
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: danseuse
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: ballet dancer
Narrower terms: prima ballerina
History
Etymology
Borrowed from Italian ballerina.
Across languages
Translations
60 source translations are retained for this English entry.