pirouette

American  

[pir-oo-et] / ˌpɪr uˈɛt /

noun

1. a whirling about on one foot or on the points of the toes, as in ballet dancing.

2. Dressage. a complete turn in which the horse uses its hind legs as a pivot.

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verb (used without object)

pirouetted, pirouetting

1. to perform a pirouette; whirl, as on the toes.

pirouette British  

/ ˌpɪrʊˈɛt /

noun

1. a body spin, esp in dancing, on the toes or the ball of the foot

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verb

1. (intr) to perform a pirouette

Etymology

Origin of pirouette

1700–10; < French: a whirl, top, feminine of Middle French pirouet, equivalent to pirou- (cognate with Italian pirolo, diminutive of piro peg) + -et -et

Example Sentences

In Hover mode, the joystick provides fine-grained yaw control, allowing the BlackFly to execute its surreal pirouette.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 17, 2025

One had to perform a double leap and pirouette to avoid the leaders.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2025

That included 32-year-old journeyman centre-back Haydn Hollis' pirouette to lose two Spurs players - a decision which could have gifted the visitors a chance had it gone wrong.

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2025

During so-called learning walks, the animals then explore the immediate surroundings around the nest entrance and repeatedly pirouette around their own body axis with short stops in between.

From Science Daily • Feb. 13, 2024

“You can hope there ain’t a sortie tonight, Prince O. Or if there is, you can pirouette after the enemy to fright them.”

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

Related Words

• angle
• change
• corner
• curve
• departure
• direction
• reversal
• round
• shift
• spin
• spiral
• swing
• trend
• twist
• wind