The French word used in
Ballet to decribe a bend of the
leg at the
knee while keeping the
back straight. It is derived from the
past participle of the word "plier" meaning "to
fold,
bend."
It is pronounced as "plee-ay," with the emphasis on the first syllable, and is generally considerd the most common step in Classical and Romantic Ballet. This has given rise to the frequent lament among dancers, "Another day, another plie." (Note that in this phrase "day" and "plie" rhyme, hence the humor).
And in case you were wondering, all ballet steps are named in French.