Ballets
/ˈbæl.eɪz/noun
Plural of ballet: highly stylized theatrical dance performances.
Did you know?Ballet and ball are distant cousins through Italian and French roots ultimately tied to dancing and moving in a circle, showing how elite performance grew out of older social dance traditions.
Etymological Timeline
Late 15th Century
Italian
balletto
“A little dance or dance piece”
16th Century
French
ballet
“A court dance or dance performance”
16th Century
English
ballet
“A dramatic dance performance”
Modern English
English
ballets
“Plural of ballet”