capriola

somersault, cartwheel

noun kah-PRYOH-lah Rare

Origin: From capriolo (roebuck), alluding to the leaping of a deer.

Usage Note

Capriola refers to an acrobatic leap or somersault, as performed by a child, a gymnast, or a trained horse in classical dressage. Children fare le capriole (do somersaults) in gymnastics; the Lipizzan horses of the Spanish Riding School are famous for the same movement. Do not confuse with capriolo (roebuck/roe deer), its masculine cognate.

Examples

"I bambini fanno le capriole sul prato."

Natural Translation

The children do somersaults on the lawn.

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