MEANING:
noun:
1. One who deserves success or recognition, but instead suffers from neglect or obscurity.
2. One who achieves sudden triumph or recognition, especially after a long period of neglect or obscurity.
ETYMOLOGY:
After Cinderella, the fairy-tale character who is mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters. With a little help from a fairy godmother, she attends a royal ball thrown by a prince. Ultimately, she marries the prince and lives happily ever after. What’s behind the name Cinderella? It’s a pseudo-translation of the French name of the girl, Cendrillon, from cendre (cinder), perhaps an allusion to her day-to-day existence, tending to the fireplace and hearth, and as a result, she has cinders all over her. It may also be a hint to the hidden spark in her otherwise dismal life. Earliest documented use: 1840.
USAGE:
“Perhaps because dentistry is the Cinderella of the public health system, receiving little attention, these problems have been allowed to persist.”
Paul Cullen; Grindingly Slow Progress on Inquiry into Children’s Orthodontic Damage; Irish Times (Dublin); Apr 2, 2019.
“The Badgers are the Cinderella of the Final Four thanks to toppling a national championship winner.”
Ben Steele; Sconnie Final Four Is Set; Green Bay Press Gazette (Wisconsin); Apr 1, 2020.
Since my name is Cindi (originally Cindy), I’ve felt a strong connection to the Cinderella story.
I’ve collected different versions of the story; I have movies that tell the stories slightly different from the Disney animated version (the first one I saw as a child):
To Disney’s musical with Leslie Anne Warren:
To two newest versions:
But Ever After with Drew Barrymore is my favorite:
I love the idea of glass slippers and have designed clothing sets on Polyvore based on the Cinderella Story.
Two of my Cinderella Dolls:
Some new ones that I’d love to add to my collection: Cinderella Dolls
Or any of the Tonner Cinderella Dolls…
moondancepages.com 