luge

Noun

1. (also, attributive, countable) A racing sled for one or two people that is ridden with the rider or riders lying on their back.
2. (also, attributive, broadly, uncountable) The sport of racing on luges.
3. (also, attributive, broadly, countable) A piece of bone, ice or other material with a channel down which a drink (usually alcoholic) can be poured into someone's mouth.

Verb

1. (also, attributive, intransitive) To ride a luge; also, to participate in the sport of luge.
2. (also, attributive, figuratively, intransitive) To slide or slip down a slope.

Pronounced as (IPA)

/luː(d)ʒ/

Etymology

Cognate with Irish: slaod

Cognate with Old Breton: stloit

Cognate with Breton: stlej

Cognate with Welsh: llithr

In summary

The noun is borrowed from Swiss French or Franco-Provençal luge, from Medieval Latin scludia, from Late Latin sclodia, of Celtic origin, from Gaulish *stludio, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *sleydʰ- (“to slide, slip; to be slick or slippery”). If so, it is related to sled and sleigh.
Sense 2.2 (“drinking utensil”) is from its resemblance to the tracks on which luges race.
The verb is derived from the noun.
Cognates
* Irish slaod (“raft, float”)
* Old Breton stloit (“sliding; traction”) (modern Breton stlej (“sleigh”))
* Welsh llithr (“slide, slippage”)

Synonyms

sledge

toboggan

sleigh

sled

🛷

slide down

slue

submarine

sweep

tobogganing

bobsleigh

tray

coast

glide

sledging

Translations

luge

Rodeln

Piste de bobsleigh

saneczkarstwo

luge

Rennrodeln

Schlitten

🛷

έλκυθρο

luge

rodelen

trineo

trineo pequeño

sport de la luge

Rodelschlitten

Schlittensport