figure skating

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.

figure skating

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

Other Word Forms

• figure skater noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of figure skating¹

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

The reigning Olympic champion has not skated competitively since Feb. 10, 2022, when Chen landed five clean quadruple jumps to become the seventh U.S. man to win a figure skating singles gold medal.

From Los Angeles Times

For years, I’d eaten one after almost every figure skating practice, usually sitting in the front seat of the car still sweating through a fleece pullover.

From Salon

When not writing, Chung can be found figure skating, watching horror movies, or looking at pictures of weird fish.

From Los Angeles Times

Eileen had a lot of work from figure skating at the time and said it was "extra special" to capture the Nottingham pair's famous gold.

From BBC

Fridays after school and figure skating practice, I’d set out the lineup — chocolate chips, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, Crisco — pressing the dough into fat, craggy mounds on my mom’s old cookie sheets.

From Salon