Which term means Half?

Which term means Half?

• A. Plié
• B. Demi
• C. Jeté
• D. Retiré

Answer: (B)

Half is conveyed by the prefix demi- in ballet terms. Demi literally means half, signaling a partial range or degree of movement. That’s why it appears in phrases like demi-plié, where you bend the knees only halfway, or demi-pointe, where you balance on the ball of the foot at half distance to full pointe. The other terms describe actions or positions rather than a quantity: plié is the act of bending the knees, jeté is a leaping throw, and retiré is a position with the working leg raised and pointed near the knee. So the term meaning half is demi.

Half is conveyed by the prefix demi- in ballet terms. Demi literally means half, signaling a partial range or degree of movement. That’s why it appears in phrases like demi-plié, where you bend the knees only halfway, or demi-pointe, where you balance on the ball of the foot at half distance to full pointe. The other terms describe actions or positions rather than a quantity: plié is the act of bending the knees, jeté is a leaping throw, and retiré is a position with the working leg raised and pointed near the knee. So the term meaning half is demi.