What does pirouette mean?
Word: Pirouette
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Pirouette means a fast turn of the whole body on one foot or on the toes, as seen in ballet.
Synonyms: spin, twirl
Word origin: From French pirouette, taken into English in the early 1700s.
How do you spell pirouette?
Syllables: pir - ou - ette
Tricky part: The quiet 'oo' sound after the r is the weak spot: students drop a letter of it and write piroette, or spell it with oo.
Watch out for: piroette, pirooette, perouette
Memory tip: Say the middle as 'oo' and spell it the way soup and group spell it.
Pirouette in a sentence
Example 1: Anaya finished her solo with three perfect pirouettes.
Example 2: The little girl tried a pirouette on the polished floor and landed in a giggling heap.
Example 3: Even the skater's simplest pirouette drew loud applause.
Fun Fact
Dancers avoid dizziness in a pirouette by spotting: they fix their eyes on one point and whip the head round last.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Champ
Choose the correct option to make a meaningful word:
pirou______
a) ette
b) ete
c) et
d) ett
Show answer
a) ette. It keeps its full French ending, the same as in cassette.
Back to the Roots
Choose the correct option:
Pirouette comes straight from French. What did the French word first name?
a) a spinning top
b) a music box
c) a stage curtain
d) a dancing shoe
Show answer
a) a spinning top. A top whirls on a single point, so the word suited a dancer turning on one foot.
Sound Check
Which word does not rhyme with pirouette?
a) cassette
b) duet
c) ballet
d) quartet
Show answer
c) ballet. Ballet looks like a match, but its t is silent and it ends in an "ay" sound.
Word Tally
Score 1 mark for each correctly spelt word. How many marks in all?
pirouette, ballerina, choreografy, rehersal, orchestra
a) 3
b) 2
c) 1
d) 4
Show answer
a) 3. Choreography takes ph and rehearsal needs an a after its first e, which leaves three correct words.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What does a dancer need above all to finish a pirouette cleanly?
a) a very long running start
b) a partner to lift her up
c) a wide jump at the end
d) a steady sense of balance
Show answer
d) a steady sense of balance
2. Which verb best describes what a dancer does in a pirouette?
a) whirls
b) marches
c) leaps
d) bows
Show answer
a) whirls
