Meaning & use
pointe
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountabletechnical
a ballet technique in which a dancer balances and moves on the very tips of the toes.
Grammar: Used without 'a' or a plural: dancers go on pointe, not 'on a pointe'.
Patterns
- on pointe
- dance on pointe
- pointe shoes
- pointe work
After years of training, she was finally strong enough to dance on pointe.
The audience gasped when the ballerina rose on pointe and held the pose.
Pointe work requires specially reinforced shoes and very strong ankles.
Common combinations
- on pointe
- The whole corps stood on pointe for the final tableau.
- pointe shoes
- She sews new ribbons onto her pointe shoes before every performance.
- pointe work
- The teacher added more pointe work to the advanced class.
- rise on pointe
- He watched her rise on pointe without a wobble.
Synonyms and how they differ
- tiptoe
- Use 'tiptoe' for ordinary walking on the balls of the feet; 'pointe' is the trained ballet skill on the very tips.
Word family
- pointe shoe noun
- the stiffened shoe a ballet dancer wears for dancing on the tips of the toes.
Commonly confused: pointe or point?
pointe vs point
The English word 'point' means a sharp end or an idea; 'pointe' is the French spelling kept for the ballet term.
Practice
The ballerina balanced on ___ during the solo.
Choose one answer.
'Pointe' is the fixed ballet term for dancing on the tips of the toes. 'Point' is the ordinary English word and is not used in this ballet phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pointe”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.