ballet: [17] Etymologically, a ballet is a ‘little dance’. English acquired the word, via French ballet, from Italian balletto, a diminutive of ballo ‘dance’, related to English ball (the diminutive of Italian balla ‘spherical ball’ is ballotta, whence English ballot). The noun ballo came from the verb ballare (a descendant via late Latin ballāre of Greek ballízein ‘dance’), of which another derivative was ballerino ‘dancing master’.
The feminine form, ballerina, entered English in the late 18th century. Balletomane ‘ballet enthusiast’ is a creation of the 1930s. Another word ballet, also a diminutive, exists, or at least existed, in English. It meant ‘little [spherical] ball’, and was used in the 18th century as a technical term in heraldry. => ball
ballet (n.)
1660s, from French ballette from Italian balletto, diminutive of ballo "a dance" (see ball (n.2)). Balletomane attested by 1930.
权威例句
1. The London City Ballet has engaged two male dancers from the Bolshoi.
伦敦市芭蕾舞团从波修瓦芭蕾舞团聘来了两名男舞蹈演员。
2. He rejoined Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet as Assistant Administrator in 1988.
他在1988年重回萨德勒的威尔斯皇家芭蕾舞团,任行政助理。
3. Next door, 200 girls are limbering up for their ballet exams.
隔壁屋里,200名女孩正在为她们的芭蕾考试做热身。
4. The choreography of Eric Hawkins is considered radical by ballet audiences.
芭蕾舞观众认为埃里克·霍金斯的舞蹈设计非常前卫。
5. Nina Ananiashvili and Alexei Fadeyechev from the Bolshoi Ballet dance the leads.