figure skating

American  

noun

1. ice skating in which the skater traces intricate patterns on the ice.

2. a type of ice skating developed from this, emphasizing jumps, spins, and other movements that combine athletic skills and dance techniques.

3. a competitive sport in which the skater is required to execute school figures and to perform one or more original programs of difficult jumps, spins, etc., to a musical setting.

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figure skating British  

noun

1. ice skating in which the skater traces outlines of selected patterns

2. the whole art of skating, as distinct from skating at speed

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Other Word Forms

• figure skater
  noun

Etymology

Origin of figure skating

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

figure skating

The latter played Casey, a student with Ivy League ambitions whose interest in physics brings her to the figure skating world.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026

At Beijing 2022, teen phenom Kamila Valieva helped Russia secure the team figure skating title, one of the Russian athletes who passed the vetting process under the ban.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

The 2027 figure skating, short track and speed skating world championships will be hosted by Finland, South Korea and China, respectively.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026

Ilia Malinin highlighted mental health struggles during an emotional performance at the Olympic figure skating gala on Saturday as men's gold medallist Mikhail Shaidorov got the crowd going to 'Kung Fu Panda'.

From Barron's ● Feb. 22, 2026

The short-distance races, following the figure skating, were all within the oval of the principal arena.

From The Girls of Central High Aiding the Red Cross Or Amateur Theatricals for a Worthy Cause by Gertrude W. Morrison