speed skating

American  

Or speedskating

noun

1. ice skating as a form of racing, usually on an oval course and against other competitors or the clock.

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speed skating British  

noun

1. a form of ice skating in which contestants race against each other or the clock over various distances

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• speedskater
  noun
• speed skater
  noun

Etymology

Origin of speed skating

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

Team GB's Niall Treacy suffered his third crash in as many short track speed skating events as his Winter Olympics ended when he failed to progress from the 500m heats.

From BBC • Feb. 16, 2026

Dutch speed skating star Jutta Leerdam was pipped to her second gold medal at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics by her teammate Femke Kok in a thrilling 500 metres contest on Sunday.

From Barron's • Feb. 15, 2026

American Jordan Stolz achieved the 500m and 1000m double, a feat not seen in men's speed skating for 46 years, at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Saturday.

From Barron's • Feb. 14, 2026

Italy take gold in the mixed speed skating relay with Canada taking silver, Belgium taking bronze and defending champions China missing out the podium altogether.

From BBC • Feb. 10, 2026

In the second half of the 19th century the Fen country acquired a certain celebrity in the world of sport from the encouragement it gave to speed skating.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 2 "Fairbanks, Erastus" to "Fens" by Various