axel

noun

ax·​el ˈak-səl  ˈäk- 

variants often Axel

: a jump in figure skating from the outer forward edge of one skate with 1½ turns taken in the air and a return to the outer backward edge of the other skate

Examples of axel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Also performing in Sunrise is Malinin, 21, a powerhouse figure skating competitor known for daring quadruple axel and backflips on ice. —Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2026

Liu did not attempt a triple axel in her long program, as Nakai and Liu’s American teammate Amber Glenn did. —Bora Erden, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2026

Glenn also landed several difficult jumping passes, including a triple flip-triple toe loop combination and a triple loop-double axel-double axel combination. —Greg Rosenstein, NBC news, 20 Feb. 2026

Sakamoto plans to retire after the Olympics, but will leave the sport in good hands with her teammate and new talent Nakai, who landed a triple axel that pulled her into first. —Alice Park, Time, 18 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Axel Paulsen †1938 Norwegian figure skater

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for axel

• axle
• docetaxel
• paclitaxel
• transaxle

Biographical Definition

Axel

biographical name

Ax·​el ˈak-səl 

Richard 1946–     American biochemist