cinderella
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A fictional character: A young girl in a European fairy tale who is mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters but is ultimately rescued by a fairy godmother and marries a handsome prince.
- A person whose talents or merits go unrecognized for a time before achieving sudden success: Used to describe someone, especially a woman, who is overlooked or undervalued but later gains success or recognition.
Usage Examples
Noun (Fictional Character):
- The story of Cinderella is known worldwide.
- She dressed as Cinderella for the costume party.
Noun (Metaphorical Use):
- For years, the department was the Cinderella of the company, until its project became a huge success.
- The athlete was a Cinderella story, going from an unknown to an Olympic champion.
Advanced Usage
"Cinderella story": A narrative in which a person or team achieves great success against the odds after a period of obscurity.
- The underdog team's victory was a true Cinderella story.
"Cinderella service/industry": Refers to a sector or service that is essential but undervalued and underfunded.
- Public transport is often seen as the Cinderella service of city infrastructure.
Variants and Related Words
- Cinderellian (adj, rare): Resembling or characteristic of Cinderella.
- Her rise to fame had a Cinderellian quality.
Synonyms
- Rags-to-riches story: A narrative of moving from poverty to wealth.
- Underdog: A competitor thought to have little chance of winning.
- Dark horse: A little-known person or thing that emerges to prominence.
Idioms and Phrases
- "A Cinderella transformation": A dramatic and positive change in appearance or fortune.
- The old theater underwent a Cinderella transformation and is now the city's premier venue.
Noun
- a fictional young girl who is saved from her stepmother and stepsisters by her fairy godmother and a handsome prince
- a woman whose merits were not been recognized but who then achieves sudden success and recognition