Voltes

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A sudden or sharp turn in motion; a mid-air somersault or flip; a swift change in direction during movement
2. An acrobatic rotation or spin performed while airborne; a quick reversal or turn in position; a gymnastics move involving a circular rotation
3. A circular or flipping movement executed especially in gymnastic or aerial acts; a rapid pivot or change in course; a dynamic airborne twist or roll

Etymology: "Voltes" is the plural of "volte," so it names several of the movements at once. The singular "volte" is a borrowing from French, where it came from Italian "volta," meaning a turn, and that Italian word descends from Latin "volvere," to roll or turn. The same root gave English words such as "revolve" and "volume," the latter once a rolled scroll. In the sense given here, the term refers to a turning motion, whether a circular sweep in fencing or horsemanship or a spinning manoeuvre in the air. The noun carries the physical idea of rotation in its core, which is why it fits both a rider's wheel and an acrobat's flip.

Synonyms: turns, revolutions, spins