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

This, too, is predictable, but it’s always a rough watch, whether it’s Ilia Malinin’s tumbles in men’s figure skating, or Mikaela Shiffrin’s mysteriously nondescript slalom run in the team combined event.

From The Wall Street Journal

Ilia Malinin could not overcome negative thoughts and mistakes Friday, costing him a figure skating gold medal at the Winter Olympics.

From Los Angeles Times

Breaking down Ilia Malinin’s iconic back flip and how the favorite for gold in men’s figure skating learned the move.

From Los Angeles Times

Ilia Malinin was supposed to win the gold medal in men’s figure skating Friday in Milan.

From The Wall Street Journal

But Shaidorov surged from fifth after the short programme to take a surprise first figure skating gold for his country at the Olympics.

From Barron's