Dictionary

ballerino en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˌbæləˈɹiːnoʊ/

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gʷelH-der. Late Latin ballāre Italian ballare Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *-iHnos Proto-Italic *-īnos Latin -īnus Italian -ino Italian ballerinobor. English ballerino Borrowed from Italian ballerino.

Meanings

1. A male ballet dancer.
   • As aware as you are, though, consider how much more keenly the leaping ballerinas and ballerinos of the world feel the tow with every move they make. 2007 June 17, David Colman, “The Merman of La Scala”, in New York Times:
   • The evening’s performance began with members of the ballet from Faust re-creating the Cave of Queens and Courtesans within the salle de danse, the ballerinos and ballerinas entering as the guests danced and joined them. As dancer after dancer entered, I could hear gasps and cries of the guests, startled to find them in their midst. 2016, Alexander Chee, The Queen of the Night:
   • BALLERINOS WANTED / Can use a few trained ballerinos for "Song of Norway" tour. Auditions TODAY at 2 p.m., Masonic Temple, Hollywood. Bring practice clothes and toe shoes. 1947, Daily Variety, volume 57, page 16:
2. (abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis) A male ballet dancer. ▸ Ellipsis of primo ballerino (“star male ballet performer of a company”)
   alt of primo ballerino

Forms

Relateds

ballerina

Translations (6)

ro balerin (male ballet dancer) · es bailarín (male ballet dancer) · fr ballerin (male ballet dancer) · pt bailarino (male ballet dancer) · pl baletnik (male ballet dancer) · it ballerino (male ballet dancer)