somersault

noun

som·​er·​sault ˈsə-mər-ˌsȯlt 

variants or less commonly summersault

: a movement (as in gymnastics) in which a person turns forward or backward in a complete revolution along the ground or in the air bringing the feet over the head

also : a falling or tumbling head over heels

somersault intransitive verb

Examples of somersault in a Sentence

The gymnast turned a somersault.

Recent Examples on the Web

There was plenty to enjoy in Leeds on Saturday, with the equally unorthodox and equally dynamic India batter Rishabh Pant becoming the third century-maker of the visitors’ innings and celebrating with a somersault. —Paul Newman, New York Times, 21 June 2025

The video shows the bear doing somersaults and backflips in a patch of snow and later wrestling with a giant snowball on the slope of a hill. —Brooke Baitinger, Sacbee.com, 7 May 2025

LuaLua, who had been receiving no little abuse from the travelling Newcastle fans, celebrated with his trademark somersaults, which didn’t exactly calm things down. —Nick Miller, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025

What ensues can only be described as a Dewey Finn fever dream complete with a visit to the risers, a somersault, a marching band, and 66 percent of the Glengarry Glen Ross leading men looking on with heart-eyes. —Devon Ivie, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle French sombresaut leap, ultimately from Latin super over + saltus leap, from salire to jump — more at over, sally

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for somersault

• millivolt
• thunderbolt
• alt
• fault
• gault
• halt
• malt
• sault
• vault
• walt
• asphalt
• assault

Kids Definition

somersault

1 of 2 noun

som·​er·​sault

ˈsəm-ər-ˌsȯlt

: a leap or roll in which a person turns heels over head

somersault

2 of 2 verb

: to perform a somersault

Etymology

from early French sombresaut "somersault," derived from Latin super "over" and saltus "leap," from salire "to jump" — related to resilient