langlauf

IPA/ˈlæŋlaʊf/
IPA/ˈlæŋlaʊf/

langlauf — noun

1. a type of skiing in which participants travel across open, snow-covered countrys

1.nounB2
Definition

a type of skiing in which participants travel across open, snow-covered countryside or through forests over long distances on mostly flat or gently rolling terrain, using a gliding stride rather than descending mountain slopes

Example

Haruto spent his winter break in Norway trying langlauf on the trails near Lillehammer.

langlauf + on [trails] — specifies terrain

Unlike downhill skiing, langlauf uses a steady arm-and-leg rhythm that beginners often find tiring.

contrastive structure: unlike downhill, langlauf uses...

Common collocations
  • do langlauf
  • try langlauf
  • langlauf trails
  • groomed langlauf tracks
  • classic langlauf
Synonyms
  • cross-country skiing

    the everyday English term; 'langlauf' is a German loanword used mostly by dedicated skiers

Antonyms
  • downhill skiing

    descending mountain slopes on skis, using different equipment and technique

  • alpine skiing

    formal term for downhill skiing on marked slopes

Usage Note

This term is far less common in English than 'cross-country skiing'. It is used mainly by skiing enthusiasts and in European contexts, often to refer specifically to the classic diagonal-stride technique on groomed trails as distinct from skate skiing.

Common Mistakes

I tried langlauf down the black-diamond slope.
I tried langlauf on the flat trail through the forest.
Langlauf is done on flat or rolling terrain, not downhill slopes.

Word family

  • langlaufer
    nounC1
  • langlaufing
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These terms describe forms of non-downhill skiing, but they differ in scope. 'Cross-country skiing' is the broad everyday English term for any skiing on flat or rolling terrain, and it includes both classic (diagonal stride) and skate-skiing techniques. 'Langlauf' is a German loanword (literally 'long run') that English users typically reserve for classic-style cross-country skiing on groomed tracks — it is far less common and sounds technical or European. 'Nordic skiing' is the widest category, encompassing cross-country skiing, ski jumping, and biathlon. 'Ski touring' (or 'backcountry skiing') involves travelling across untracked snow for recreation or transport, often with climbing skins, and is closer to wilderness exploration than to sport on prepared trails. In practice, a beginner taking lessons on flat groomed trails would say 'I'm learning cross-country skiing,' not 'I'm learning langlauf' — but an enthusiast describing a race on the classic track might say 'the langlauf event' to sound precise.

cross-country skiing ↗langlauf ↗Nordic skiingski touring

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • go langlaufing
  • langlauf skiing

Prepositions

Etymology

GermanEnglish

Borrowed directly from German 'Langlauf', which is a compound of 'lang' (long) and 'Lauf' (run). The word entered English in the early 20th century alongside the growing European popularity of cross-country skiing as a competitive sport. In German it refers to the same activity and is the ordinary word for cross-country skiing; in English it retains a more specialised, imported flavour.

First known use

1927

1927, in the meaning defined above