German

Noun

Pirouette f ‎(genitive Pirouette, plural Pirouetten)

1. pirouette

English

Noun

pirouette ‎(plural pirouettes)

1. A whirling or turning on the toes in dancing, primarily in ballet.
2. The whirling about of a horse.

Translations

Verb

pirouette ‎(third-person singular simple present pirouettes, present participle pirouetting, simple past and past participle pirouetted)

1. (intransitive) To perform a pirouette; to whirl on the toes, like a dancer.
   • 1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, chapter VIII:

     [...] I came down like a sack of coals. The pulse was rapid, the blood pressure high, and for awhile the Blue Room pirouetted about me like an adagio dancer.

Translations

French

Etymology

Alteration of pirouelle, perhaps after girouette.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pi.ʁwɛt/

Noun

pirouette f ‎(plural pirouettes)

1. A whirling or turning on the toes in dancing.
2. (sports, equestrians) A whirling volt movement made by a horse.

Verb

pirouette

1. first-person singular present indicative of pirouetter
2. third-person singular present indicative of pirouetter
3. first-person singular present subjunctive of pirouetter
4. third-person singular present subjunctive of pirouetter
5. second-person singular imperative of pirouetter

Descendants

• Russian: пируэ́т m ‎(piruét)