pirouette

Where does the word "pirouette" come from? It comes from Gallo-Roman pir-, passing through Italian and French before entering English (1706).

Pirouette’s story begins in Gallo-Roman: pir- meant “a peg, plug.” A root meaning peg or plug. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Italian as piruolo. Named a spinning peg top, a child's toy. From there it passed into French as pirouette by 1400s. Borrowed and given a diminutive ending, literally 'little peg', for the spinning toy and later a dancer's spin. It reached English by 1706 as pirouette. Adopted for a rapid balletic turn on one leg. Today, pirouette means a rapid spin on one foot, especially in ballet.

1. Stage 1 · Gallo-Roman · medieval pir- "a peg, plug", a root meaning peg or plug.
2. Stage 2 · Italian · medieval piruolo "a spinning top", named a spinning peg top, a child's toy.
3. Stage 3 · French · 1400s pirouette "a spinning top; a whirling turn", borrowed and given a diminutive ending, literally 'little peg', for the spinning toy and later a dancer's spin.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1706 pirouette "a rapid spin on one foot, especially in ballet", adopted for a rapid balletic turn on one leg.