figure skating: Meaning and Definition of

fig'ure skat"ing

Pronunciation: [key]
  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.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.