PIROUETTE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does pirouette mean? 

• PIROUETTE (noun)
  The noun PIROUETTE has 1 sense:

1. (ballet) a rapid spin of the body (especially on the toes as in ballet)

  Familiarity information: PIROUETTE used as a noun is very rare.

• PIROUETTE (verb)
  The verb PIROUETTE has 1 sense:

1. do a pirouette, usually as part of a dance

  Familiarity information: PIROUETTE used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PIROUETTE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(ballet) a rapid spin of the body (especially on the toes as in ballet)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("pirouette" is a kind of...):

spin; twirl; twist; twisting; whirl (the act of rotating rapidly)

Domain category:

ballet; concert dance (a theatrical representation of a story that is performed to music by trained dancers)

Derivation:

pirouette (do a pirouette, usually as part of a dance)

• PIROUETTE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they pirouette    ... he / she / it pirouettes   
Past simple: pirouetted   
Past participle: pirouetted   
-ing form: pirouetting   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Do a pirouette, usually as part of a dance

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "pirouette" is one way to...):

pivot; swivel (turn on a pivot)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

pirouette ((ballet) a rapid spin of the body (especially on the toes as in ballet))

 Context examples 

Many low-mass stars, however, took less than a day to complete a pirouette.

(Kepler Watches Stellar Dancers in the Pleiades Cluster, NASA)

But the Emperor's friend covered himself with glory, for he danced everything, whether he knew it or not, and introduced impromptu pirouettes when the figures bewildered him.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)