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.
中文解释
音译“芭蕾”。芭蕾舞在全世界很多地区都是最受欢迎的一种舞蹈。由于这种艺术形式是在法国得到发展和职业化的，所以人们谈论芭蕾舞时用的很多词汇都来自法语。如果你不是专门从事芭蕾舞的话，可能只知道 ballerina（芭蕾舞女演员）和 tutu（芭蕾舞裙）这两个词。注意 ballet 这个单词的发音：词尾的“t”不发音，并且第二个音节的读音类似于 lay，元音字母发的是 a 的音。有意思的是，有些来自法语的外来词发音方式像英语，而另外一些则更像法语。下面这几个单词都是以 –et 结尾，但要发 a 的音：buffet, gourmet, filet， chalet，甚至还有 Chevrolet（雪佛兰汽车公司）。
实用例句
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。
来自柯林斯例句
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。
来自柯林斯例句
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。
来自柯林斯例句
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。
来自柯林斯例句
5. Nina Ananiashvili and Alexei Fadeyechev from the Bolshoi Ballet dance the leads.