Cinderella

noun Cin·der·el·la \ˌsin-də-ˈre-lə\

: someone or something that is ignored but that deserves attention or credit

: someone or something (such as a sports team) that is not expected to do well but that succeeds or wins in a very exciting way

Full Definition of CINDERELLA

: one resembling the fairy-tale Cinderella: as

a : one suffering undeserved neglect

b : one suddenly lifted from obscurity to honor or significance

— Cinderella adjective

See Cinderella defined for English-language learners

after Cinderella, fairy-tale heroine who is used as a drudge by her stepmother but ends up married to a prince

First Known Use: 1840

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