- pirouette (n.)
- 1706, from French pirouette "spinning top; pirouette in dancing," from Middle French pirouet "spinning top" (15c.), from Gallo-Roman root *pir- "peg, plug" (source of Italian piruolo "peg top") + diminutive suffix -ette.
- pirouette (v.)
- 1822, from pirouette (n.) and also from French pirouetter. Related: Pirouetted; pirouetting.