rink

American  

[ringk] / rɪŋk /

noun

1. a smooth expanse of ice for ice-skating, often artificially prepared and inside a building or arena.

2. a smooth floor, usually of wood, for roller-skating.

3. a building or enclosure for ice-skating or roller-skating; skating arena.

4. an area of ice marked off for the game of curling.

5. a section of a bowling green where a match can be played.

6. a set of players on one side in a lawn-bowling or curling match.

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rink British  

/ rɪŋk /

noun

1. an expanse of ice for skating on, esp one that is artificially prepared and under cover

2. an area for roller skating on

3. a building or enclosure for ice skating or roller skating

4. bowls a strip of the green, usually about 5–7 metres wide, on which a game is played

5. curling the strip of ice on which the game is played, usually 41 by 4 metres

6. (in bowls and curling) the players on one side in a game

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Etymology

Origin of rink

1325–75; Middle English ( Scots ) renk area for a battle, joust, or race, apparently < Middle French renc rank ¹

Explanation

Use the noun rink for an indoor area where you can ice skate or roller skate, or for the surface itself. If skating around and around to blasting music is your thing, head to a rink. An ice rink has an ice-covered surface, benches for changing from shoes to skates, and often places to buy snacks. Roller rinks have skates for rent, a hard surface to skate on, and loud music. Rink first appeared in English in the 14th century, from the Scottish dialect. Though it comes from the Old French renc, "line or row," it was mixed up with ring at some point and came to describe the ring-shaped ice rink.

Example Sentences

As climate change warms waters, however, it is likely that local beaches will see more algae blooms of all types, said Rink.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 30, 2024

They mourned beloved rinks like the Riverdale location of the Sparkles chain and the Greenbriar Skating Rink, which changed ownership in the 1980s and was renamed Jellybeans before closing in the 1990s.

From New York Times • May 2, 2024

On the campaign trail and in interviews before the 2016 election, Trump often cited the Wollman Rink as evidence of his qualifications to lead the country.

From Slate • Feb. 21, 2024

Now renamed El Centro Skate Rink, the facility isn’t nearly as decrepit as the old Beacon Hill School that Ortega and her fellow activists once took over — and spent several years fixing up.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 18, 2023

She was going to have it at Troy’s Roller Rink and had invited everyone.

From "The Lions of Little Rock" by Kristin Levine

Related Words

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