handspring
UK[ˈhændsprɪŋ]US[ˈhændsprɪŋ]
n
a gymnastic movement in which a person leaps forward or backward onto their hands and then springs back onto their feet.
Morpheme Breakdown
hand
spring
hand
spring
Etymology
the word 'handspring' is a transparent compound formed from two old english roots. 'hand' has a stable history, referring to the body part, while 'spring' evolved from a verb meaning to leap or burst forth. the compound logically and literally describes the action of the gymnastic feat: a spring or leap initiated from and supported by the hands. this modern, descriptive term directly reflects the physical components of the movement, with no significant semantic shift from its constituent parts.
Analysis
Structure: hand + spring
hand (from old english 'hand', meaning the end part of the arm) + spring (from old english 'springan', meaning to leap or jump)
Examples
the gymnast finished her floor routine with a flawless handspring.
learning a basic handspring is a fundamental skill in many acrobatic disciplines.
he stumbled slightly on the landing after his second consecutive handspring.