pirouette

[pir-oo-et]

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.

verb (used without object)

pirouetted, pirouetting 

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

pirouette

/ ˌpɪrʊˈɛt /

noun

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

verb

1. (intr) to perform a pirouette

Word History and Origins

Origin of pirouette¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of pirouette¹

C18: from French, from Old French pirouet spinning top; related to Italian pirolo little peg

Example Sentences

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

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Yet, their conversation always pirouettes back to the gap between the real world and the movies.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It also discovered 300 new locations across the country for pink waxcap, also known as the ballerina waxcap as its cap flares out like a pirouetting dancer.

Read more on BBC

VAR disallowed the goal because they've said it's a careless challenge - but it's not a challenge, it's a pirouette in the middle of the pitch.

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

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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