axel

¹ American  

[ak-suhl] / ˈæk səl /

noun

Figure Skating.

1. a jump performed by a skater leaping from the front outer edge of one skate into the air to make 1½ rotations of the body and landing on the back outer edge of the other skate.

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Axel ² American  

[ak-suhl] / ˈæk səl /

noun

1. a first name.

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axel British  

/ ˈæksəl /

noun

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

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Usage

What does axel mean? An axel is a maneuver in figure skating. The skater leaps from the front outside edge of one skate, rotates 1 ½ times, and lands on the rear outside edge of the other skate. The axel, also known as the axel jump, is considered the most difficult of the six jumps in figure skating. A tripleaxel, where a skater rotates 3 ½ times, has a starting value of 8 points at the Olympics, compared to the 3. 3 points given for a double (2 ½ rotations) axel. Example: The judges were impressed by the skater’s axel and her perfect landing after completing the spin.

Etymology

Origin of axel

First recorded in 1925–30; after Axel Paulsen (1855–1938), Norwegian figure skater, who popularized the maneuver

Explanation

One of the most challenging moves in figure skating is the axel, in which a skater jumps from the forward edge of one foot, spins in the air, and lands on the outside edge of the opposite skate. Doing a single axel is hard enough, but most competitive figure skaters learn to do double or even triple axels, rotating up to three times in the air before landing on the ice. Axels are deceptively tricky because starting on one foot and landing on the other requires an extra half-rotation. The jump is named for Axel Paulson, who invented it in the 19th century.

Example Sentences

Despite suffering a heavy fall in the warm-up she attacked her free skate, including a triple axel to start then a complex triple loop and double axel sequence.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2026

Japan’s 17-year-old Ami Nakai was the only other competitor to attempt a triple axel Tuesday and she soared to first place in the short program with 78.71 points.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2026

The standing-room-only crowd gasped when Malinin gave up on the quad axel.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 14, 2026

But early in his routine, he only performed a single axel instead of the quad axel, and it threw him off.

From Barron's • Feb. 14, 2026

Von vheel vas in de mittel, dough,     And it vent as sure ash ecks, For he shtraddled on de axel dree,     Mit der vheel petween his lecks.

From The Breitmann Ballads by Leland, Charles Godfrey