What is a term for a flip or somersault?

A flip or somersault is called a salto. In gymnastics, the word describes an aerial rotation in which the body passes over the head, usually rotating around a horizontal axis. A salto may travel forward, backward, or sideways.

Gymnasts perform saltos in several body positions. A tucked salto brings the knees toward the chest, a piked salto bends the body at the hips, and a layout keeps the body extended. Twists can be added to the rotation, producing more difficult skills and combinations.

“Flip” and “somersault” are common everyday terms, while “salto” is the more technical gymnastics vocabulary. A salto should not be confused with a cartwheel, which rotates around a different axis, or a handspring, which uses the hands against the floor as part of the movement. The term also appears in trampoline, tumbling, and diving.