балери́на
balerínafeminine
The Russian word for ballerina is балери́на (balerína).
The term refers to a female ballet dancer.
Meaning: female ballet dancer (noun)
Which one should you use?
While балери́на is the standard term, the informal diminutive form балеринка is used specifically when referring to a young or aspiring ballet dancer.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is balerína.
Did you know?
- Russian ballet terminology is a linguistic hybrid. While балерина is the Russian noun, the technical commands and positions she follows are almost entirely in French.
- Russian has a specific word пачка for the stiff tutu worn by a балерина. This word is derived from the Russian word for 'bundle' or 'pack', describing the layered tutu's shape.
- While English uses 'ballerina' to describe the shoes, in Russian, these are called пуанты. Using the word балерина to describe the shoe would be misunderstood by a native speaker.
Examples in context
- Виктория – талантливая балерина.Victoria is a talented ballerina.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ballerina” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
