Lutz

American  

[luhts] / lʌts /

noun

(sometimes lowercase)

1. a jump in which the skater leaps from the back outer edge of one skate to make one full rotation in the air and lands on the back outer edge of the opposite skate.

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lutz British  

/ luːts /

noun

1. skating a jump in which the skater takes off from the back outside edge of one skate, makes one, two, or three turns in the air, and lands on the back outside edge of the other skate

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Usage

What does Lutz mean? The Lutz is a figure skating jump in which the skater jumps from the back outside edge of one skate, rotates (at least once) in the air, and lands on the back outside edge of the other skate. It is sometimes spelled uncapitalized, as lutz. The jump can be performed with multiple rotations, resulting in a double Lutz (two rotations), triple Lutz (three rotations), or quad (or quadruple) Lutz (four rotations). The Lutz is one of the six recognized jumps in competitive figure skating. Because it is done with the use of the skate’s toe-pick, it is classified as a toe jump (along with the toe loop and flip; the loop, Salchow, and axel are classified as edge jumps). The Lutz is considered one of the most difficult jumps to perform. Example: To the casual viewer, the Lutz and Salchow may look similar, but they require much different techniques.

Etymology

Origin of Lutz

First recorded in 1935–40; after Alois Lutz (1898-1918), Austrian figure skater, who first performed the jump in 1913

Example Sentences

"I have never seen such a rigorous review process," Lutz said.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

The study, co-authored with Rutgers oceanographer Richard Lutz, stands out because Cinquemani began the work as an undergraduate assignment that later became a peer-reviewed publication.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

Research by Lutz Kilian, Michael Plante and Alexander Richter at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas finds that even an increasing probability of supply disruption can push oil prices higher.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

Bob Lutz, the legendary Motor City car executive, said the industry mistakenly assumed EVs should be small and appeal to low-income buyers looking to save on fuel costs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

Stan lost a closely fought semifinal match to the Argentinian, Guillermo Vilas, but he and Lutz handily won the doubles crown.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane