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summersault

 - 5 dictionary results

sum⋅mer⋅sault

[suhm-er-sawlt]
–noun, verb (used without object)
somersault.

som⋅er⋅sault

[suhm-er-sawlt]
–noun
1. an acrobatic movement, either forward or backward, in which the body rolls end over end, making a complete revolution.
2. such a movement performed in the air as part of a dive, tumbling routine, etc.
3. a complete overturn or reversal, as of opinion.
–verb (used without object)
4. to perform a somersault.
Also, som⋅er⋅set [suhm-er-set] , summersault, summerset.


Origin:
1520–30; < MF sombresaut, alter. of sobresault; cf. OPr sobre over (< L super), saut a leap (< L saltus)
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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som·er·sault also sum·mer·sault   (sŭm'ər-sôlt')   
n.  
  1. An acrobatic stunt in which the body rolls forward or backward in a complete revolution with the knees bent and the feet coming over the head. Also called somerset; also called regionally tumbleset.

  2. A complete reversal, as of sympathies or opinions.

intr.v.   som·er·sault·ed also sum·mer·sault·ed, som·er·sault·ing also sum·mer·sault·ing, som·er·saults also sum·mer·saults
To execute a somersault.

[Obsolete French sombresault, variant of sobresault, from Old Provençal sobresaut : sobre-, above (from Latin suprā; see uper in Indo-European roots) + saut, leap (from Latin saltus, from past participle of salīre, to leap; see sel- in Indo-European roots).]
sum·mer·sault   (sŭm'ər-sôlt')   
n.   & v.
Variant of somersault.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

somersault 
1530, from M.Fr. sombresault, from O.Prov. sobresaut, from sobre "over" (from L. supra "over") + saut "a jump," from L. saltus, from the root of salire "to leap" (see salient). Sometimes further corrupted to somerset, etc.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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