HOW TO PRONOUNCE
ballet
/bæˈleɪ/
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American Pronunciation Guide · 1:13
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The final t is silent.
The final t is silent. Both first- and last-syllable stress are listed in American English; the ending sounds like lay.
TRY SAYING
“A ballet performance.”
APG practice sentence · CC BY-SA 4.0
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗What does ballet mean?
noun
- A classical form of dance.
- A theatrical presentation of such dancing, usually with music, sometimes in the form of a story.
- The company of persons who perform this dance.
More meanings (4)
noun
- A light part song, frequently with a fa-la-la chorus, common among Elizabethan and Italian Renaissance composers.
- A (small) ball i.e. roundel on a coat of arms, called a bezant, plate, etc., according to colour.
- (figuratively) Any intricate series of operations involving coordination between individuals.
verb
- To perform an action reminiscent of ballet dancing.
Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0
IPA pronunciation
/bæˈleɪ/
Pronunciation used in the listening tip.
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.
In the pages of books
See this word in context.
The opening part of it dealt with the murder of Hippolyte Ballet, and elicited little or nothing that was fresh.
She is fairly introduced into our corps de ballet, and will figure, from time to time, in her turn, with other performers.
More book examples (3)
As in Chicago, she was seized with stage fright as the very first entrance of the ballet approached, but later she recovered.
In short, when secretaries of state, cabinet councillors, foreign ministers, dance like the universal ballet in the Rehearsal, why should not I--see them?
They retired to a corner of the lobby by which the stage communicates with the wide passage leading to the foyer of the ballet.