ballet
UK[ˈbæleɪ]US[bæˈleɪ]
n
a type of dancing where carefully organized movements tell a story or express an idea, often performed in a theatre
n
a particular work of this type of dancing, or a group of dancers who perform it
Etymology
the word 'ballet' entered english in the 17th century from the french 'ballet', which itself derived from the italian 'balletto', a diminutive of 'ballo' meaning 'a dance'. the italian 'ballo' traces back to the late latin 'ballare', meaning 'to dance', which is of greek origin, from 'ballizein'. the core concept of organized, theatrical dance has been central to the word's meaning throughout its journey from greek and roman festivities to the highly formalized art form it denotes today.
Analysis
this word is a loanword from french and is not productively segmented using english morphemes.
Examples
she has studied classical ballet since she was a child.
the company will perform a new ballet by a famous choreographer.
we have tickets to see the ballet at the royal opera house.