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glissade

[gli-sahd, -seyd]
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noun
  1. a skillful glide over snow or ice in descending a mountain, as on skis or a toboggan.
  2. Dance. a sliding or gliding step.
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verb (used without object), glis·sad·ed, glis·sad·ing.
  1. to perform a glissade.
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Origin of glissade

1830–40; < French, equivalent to gliss(er) to slip, slide + -ade -ade1
Related formsglis·sad·er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

streamskipfloatwaftskateskimsliptripdeclinesailspiraldescendrollsoarshootrunslinkdriftcoastfly

Examples from the Web for glissade

Historical Examples

  • There is our resting-place, herr,” he said, “with a perfect bit of snow for a glissade.

    The Crystal Hunters

    George Manville Fenn

  • It is called the hashiri (glissade); and we are to descend at a run!

  • The first part of the way down to the saddle we attempted a glissade.

    Inca Land

    Hiram Bingham

  • It was in deep winter weather and Timur had to be let down the snows by glissade in a basket guided by ropes.

  • We crept up it, and from the summit descended by a glissade to the frontal portion of the cavern.

British Dictionary definitions for glissade

glissade

noun
  1. a gliding step in ballet, in which one foot slides forwards, sideways, or backwards
  2. a controlled slide down a snow slope
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verb
  1. (intr) to perform a glissade
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Derived Formsglissader, noun

Word Origin

C19: from French, from glisser to slip, from Old French glicier, of Frankish origin; compare Old High German glītan to glide
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for glissade

in dancing sense, 1832 (v.), 1843 (n.), from French glissade, from glisser "to slip, slide" (13c.), from a Germanic source (cf. Dutch glissen), from Proto-Germanic *glidan "to glide" (see glide).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper