"theatrical, costumed dance and pantomime performance telling a story and representing characters and passions by gestures and groupings," 1660s, from French ballette from Italian balletto, diminutive of ballo "a dance," from Late Latin ballare "to dance," from Greek ballizein "to dance, jump about" (see ball (n.2)).

"ballet enthusiast," by 1930, from ballet + -mane "one who has a mania for," which is ultimately from Greek and related to mania "madness."

ballet step, 1830, from French (pas) jeté, from past participle of jeter "to throw" (see jet (v.1)).

"female dancer," especially a ballet-dancer," 1828, from French, fem. of danseur, agent noun from danser (see dance (v.)). The earlier word in English was danceress (Middle English daunceresse, late 14c.).

"female ballet dancer," 1792, from Italian ballerina, literally "dancing girl," fem. of ballerino "dancer," from ballo "a dance" (see ball (n.2)). The Italian plural form ballerine sometimes also was used in English.

in ballet, 1892, from French plié, literally "bent," from plier "to bend," from Old French ploier "fold, pleat, layer" (12c.), verbal noun from ployer (later pleier) "to bend, to fold," from Latin plicare "to fold, lay" (from PIE root *plek- "to plait"). Compare ply (v.2).

ballet skirt, 1910, from French tutu, alteration of cucu, infantile reduplication of cul "bottom, backside," from Latin culus "bottom, backside, fundament," from PIE *kuh-lo- "backside, rear" (source also of Old Irish cul "back," Welsh cil "corner, angle"), ultimate origin obscure [de Vaan].

1724, "opening piece of an opera or ballet," from French entrée, from Old French entree (see entry). Cookery sense is from 1759; originally the dish which was introductory to the main course. Meaning "entry, freedom of access" is from 1762. The word had been borrowed in Middle English as entre "act of entering."

"one who dances in the 'figures' of the ballet" (in troops and as background for soloists), 1775, from French figurante, noun use of fem. past participle of figurer (from Latin figurare "to form, shape," from PIE root *dheigh- "to form, build"). In some cases perhaps from Italian figurante.

1825 as a dish; 1930 in ballet, "a lifted step, a raising of the body on point or points," literally "raised up," from French relevé, 19th century verbal noun from past participle of relever "to raise" (see relieve). Middle English had relevement "relief, succor" (mid-15c., from Old French) and relevacioun "alleviation, relief; a raising up" (c. 1400, from Latin).