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

That’s relatively common in figure skating for gold medal winners who face a rush of media and commercial opportunities after a grueling four-year Olympic buildup.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 28, 2026

The venue was originally built in 1955 for the Cortina d'Ampezzo 1956 Olympic Winter Games, and back then staged the opening ceremony and figure skating competitions.

From BBC ● Mar. 4, 2026

The gala included Olympic figure skating medallists and invited skaters including former Italian Olympic medallist Carolina Kostner.

From Barron's ● Feb. 22, 2026

MILAN—Away from the majesty of the Italian alps and the high-wattage spotlight of figure skating, speedskater Jordan Stolz has quietly compiled the most impressive résumé of any American at the Winter Olympics.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 21, 2026

I suppose you'll give up this automobile business now, and go back and do some fancy figure skating on Broadway.

From John Marsh's Millions by Hornblow, Arthur