1. An acrobatic movement in which the body is rolled over, feet over head, either forward or backward, on the ground or in midair, finally returning to an upright position: The gymnasts performed a variety of spectacular forward and backward somersaults.

The children in school, including Mary and Martin, learned how to turn somersaults in their gym classes.

2. A reversal of opinion or decision; or a complete change of mind or reversal of policy: The politicians were accused of doing somersaults with their proposals.

When Erica heard the shocking news about her father's death, her heart did a figurative somersault.

3. Etymology: a leap in which a person tumbles heels over head in mid-air, comes from the Old French sombresault, which was based on the earlier form sobresault.

Both of these French words were rooted, in turn, on a combination of the Latin supra, "above, over" and saltus, meaning "to leap"; derived from salire, "to jump"; giving us the combined sense of "to leap above".

The word first appeared in English in the form sobersault in about 1530, but by the beginning of the 19th century, English speakers and writers were using the modern form somersault.

To make complete turns forwards or backwards on the ground or in the air: Tom at the swimming pool somersaulted forward twice before he went into the water.

While riding his bicycle, Jerome swerved and accidentally somersaulted over into the bushes by the side of the road.