Plié
/pliˈeɪ/noun
A ballet movement in which the knees are bent while the torso remains upright.
Did you know?Plié belongs to the same Latin root family as words such as “explicit” and “duplicate,” all carrying the ancient idea of folding, unfolding, or doubling.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*plek-
“To plait, weave, or fold together”
Ancient Latin
Latin
plicāre
“To fold or bend”
Medieval Latin
Latin
plicātus
“Folded or bent”
12th–13th Century
Old French
plier
“To fold, bend, or submit”
17th Century
French
plié
“Folded; bent”
18th Century
English
plié
“A ballet bending of the knees”
Explore more surprising origins