glissade

American  

[gli-sahd, -seyd] / glɪˈsɑd, -ˈseɪd /

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)

glissaded, glissading

1. to perform a glissade.

glissade British  

/ -ˈseɪd, ɡlɪˈsɑːd /

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

Other Word Forms

• glissader noun

Etymology

Origin of glissade

1830–40; < French, equivalent to gliss ( er ) to slip, slide + -ade -ade ¹

Example Sentences

But the body found Monday was a bit south of the spot where hikers typically glissade — on a steep, icy section of trail known as the 99 Switchbacks, according to Stine.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 15, 2025

From hiking a few miles to learning how to use an ice ax and glissade down a mountain, we trained and grew stronger together to ultimately reach the summit.

From Seattle Times • May 20, 2022

She went to see Lauren Anderson — one of the first black ballerinas to become a principal dancer in a major company — glissade across the stage at the Houston Ballet.

From New York Times • Oct. 15, 2018

For the finale, we performed a pas de bourrée, glissade and grand jete.

From Washington Post • Nov. 8, 2017

For the glissade, Nancy glided over a few feet to the left.

From "The Cinderella Ballet Mystery: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #4" by Carolyn Keene