somersault

Alternative forms

• somerset
• summersault

Etymology

From French sombresault (now obsolete, compare Modern French sursaut, soubresaut), from Old Occitan sobresalt, from sobre- (“over, above”) + salt (“jump”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsʌmə(ɹ)ˌsɔːlt/

Noun

somersault (plural somersaults)

1. Starting on one's feet, an instance of rotating one's body 360 degree while airborne, with one's feet going over one's head.

Verb

somersault (third-person singular simple present somersaults, present participle somersaulting, simple past and past participle somersaulted)

1. To perform a somersault.

   The performer somersaulted all the way across the stage.

See also

• flip