# ballerina

/ˌbæɫɝˈinə/ (US) · /bˌæləɹˈiːnɐ/ (UK) · CEFR B1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ballerina
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

a woman who dances in a ballet. You use this word for a professional dancer who performs on stage.

For teachers: a female ballet dancer, specifically one who performs professionally. While historically used for principal dancers, it now serves as a general term for any woman in a ballet company.

## Examples

- The ballerina practices her jumps every morning.
- After years of training at the academy, she finally achieved her dream of becoming a professional ballerina.
- The lead ballerina executed a series of flawless pirouettes, capturing the audience's attention with her technical precision and emotional depth during the final act.

## Usage notes

- The term is gender-specific; 'ballet dancer' is the gender-neutral alternative for men or mixed groups.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.