What does axel mean? An axel is a maneuver in figure skating. The skater leaps from the front outside edge of one skate, rotates 1 ½ times, and lands on the rear outside edge of the other skate. The axel, also known as the axel jump, is considered the most difficult of the six jumps in figure skating. A tripleaxel, where a skater rotates 3 ½ times, has a starting value of 8 points at the Olympics, compared to the 3. 3 points given for a double (2 ½ rotations) axel. Example: The judges were impressed by the skater’s axel and her perfect landing after completing the spin.
First recorded in 1925–30; after Axel Paulsen (1855–1938), Norwegian figure skater, who popularized the maneuver
One of the most challenging moves in figure skating is the axel, in which a skater jumps from the forward edge of one foot, spins in the air, and lands on the outside edge of the opposite skate. Doing a single axel is hard enough, but most competitive figure skaters learn to do double or even triple axels, rotating up to three times in the air before landing on the ice. Axels are deceptively tricky because starting on one foot and landing on the other requires an extra half-rotation. The jump is named for Axel Paulson, who invented it in the 19th century.
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Despite suffering a heavy fall in the warm-up she attacked her free skate, including a triple axel to start then a complex triple loop and double axel sequence.
From BBC ● Feb. 19, 2026
Glenn’s program started almost flawlessly with a steady triple axel, but she popped her last jumping pass and earned zero points on it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 17, 2026
Three-time national champion Amber Glenn combines power in her triple axel with emotion on the ice.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 16, 2026
Malinin had promised to hit his signature move, the quad axel, a difficult four-and-a-half rotation jump that has never been landed at the Olympics.
From Barron's ● Feb. 14, 2026
De dings vas maket simple, Ash all crate idees shouldt pe, For 'tvas noding boot a gart-vheel, Mit a dwo-feet axel dree.
From The Breitmann Ballads by Leland, Charles Godfrey
“We look to the second semester with confidence,” Executive Chairman Axel Dumas said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
Sources indicate Benoit Badiashile, Axel Disasi, Trevoh Chalobah and Marc Guiu are among the players available for transfer, while Mamadou Sarr is expected to leave on loan elsewhere in the Premier League.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Employees at Axel Springer’s Politico have talked about limiting Google’s and other bots’ access to its free articles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
For an aging golden generation of Belgian players, including Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Thibaut Courtois and Axel Witsel, this might be the final chance to grab a title.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
But that’s just ridiculous because Axel already has a Friendship Club at school, and the time with Daniel every other Saturday is not the same.
From "A Bird Will Soar" by Alison Green Myers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
