roller skate

¹ American  

noun

1. a form of skate with four wheels or rollers instead of a runner, for use on a sidewalk or other surface offering traction.

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roller-skate ² American  

[roh-ler-skeyt] / ˈroʊ lərˌskeɪt /

Or rollerskate

verb (used without object)

roller-skated, roller-skating

1. to glide about by means of roller skates.

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roller skate British  

noun

1. a boot or shoe with four small wheels attached that enable the wearer to glide swiftly over a floor or other surface

2. a device having clamps or straps for attaching such wheels to a boot or shoe

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verb

1. (intr) to move on roller skates

Other Word Forms

• roller skater noun
• rollerskater noun

Etymology

Origin of roller skate¹

An Americanism dating back to 1860–65

Origin of roller-skate²

First recorded in 1870–75; v. use of roller skate

Example Sentences

John Okevu Ojo II, 34, skater and fashion designer: I feel like if you’re Black and from L.A., you should know how to roller skate.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2025

Exercise has been a part of Jill Biden’s life since she was a child who liked to roller skate.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 1, 2023

She loved to roller skate and enjoyed attending Michigan State basketball games, Mr. Thomas said.

From New York Times • Feb. 14, 2023

But "Running Up That Hill" isn't employed merely to set a tone or place us in an era, like neon roller skate wheels or Scrunchies.

From Salon • May 30, 2022

An armor-plated military vehicle encountering no greater obstacle than a lost roller skate.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides