off-piste

American

[awf-peest, of] / ˈɔfˈpist, ˈɒf /

adverb

on an unprepared, trackless area away from regular ski runs.

off-piste skiing.

off-piste British

adjective

of or relating to skiing on virgin snow off the regular runs

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of off-piste

First recorded in 1955–60; off ( def. ) + piste ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The avalanche risk remains high in parts of Tyrol - meaning avalanches can be expected - where two fatal avalanches occurred on Friday in off-piste areas.

From BBC

Tyrol authorities appealed for skiers to stay away from off-piste activities.

From Barron's

"People are increasingly practising off-piste skiing. Among skiers, 25% go off-piste," he said.

From BBC

In general, though, resorts will not prevent tourists from going off-piste so instead they offer advice.

From BBC

The resort, which has one of the world's largest off-piste areas, holds weekly safety days in high season and has recently invested in a drone equipped with a thermal camera for use in avalanche detection and rescue operations.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023