Word
skiff
US/ˈskɪf/
UK/skˈɪf/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a small, light boat for one person or just a few people. You move it with oars, a sail, or a small motor.
n. a small, shallow open boat for one or a few occupants, propelled by oars, sail, or a small outboard motor.
Examples
“He rows his small skiff across the lake.”
“The fisherman loads his nets into the skiff before dawn and heads out to the quiet bay.”
“At first light, a lone skiff drifts through the mist, its oars barely rippling the glassy water of the estuary.”
Examples
simple
“He rows his small skiff across the lake.”
contextual
“The fisherman loads his nets into the skiff before dawn and heads out to the quiet bay.”
complex
“At first light, a lone skiff drifts through the mist, its oars barely rippling the glassy water of the estuary.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “skiff” in context.
Verb
01. beach skiff
“They beached the skiff on the shingle to unload the nets.”
verb + noun
02. launch skiff
“At dawn we launched the skiff from the sandy slipway.”
verb + noun
03. moor skiff
“He moored the skiff to the jetty before the tide turned.”
verb + noun
04. row skiff
“She learned to row a skiff across the lake without splashing.”
verb + noun
Adjective
05. flat-bottomed skiff
“They poled a flat-bottomed skiff through the shallow marsh at low tide.”
adj + noun
06. lightweight skiff
“He carried the lightweight skiff alone down to the water's edge.”
adj + noun
07. racing skiff
“The crew tuned their racing skiff before the harbour regatta on Saturday.”
adj + noun
08. an 18-foot racing skiff
“He crews on an 18-foot racing skiff every summer weekend.”
09. beach the skiff at dawn
“They beached the skiff at dawn to unload the morning catch.”
10. drift silently in a skiff
“We drifted silently in a skiff watching herons at dusk.”
11. launch a wooden skiff
“They launch a wooden skiff at first light to check the lobster pots.”
12. row ashore in a skiff
“We rowed ashore in a skiff when the engine failed.”
Real-World Examples
“Telling whether that dot is a licensed trawler or a 7-meter (23-foot) skiff needs an image sharp enough to resolve detail well under a meter, and no single sensor does both.” Etymology
From Middle English skif, from Middle French esquif, from Old Italian schifo (“small boat”), from Lombardic skif (“boat”), from Proto-Germanic *skipą (“boat, ship”). Doublet of ship.
From Scots skiff (“light shower of rain or snow”), from skiff (“move lightly”); compare the derivative skiffle (whence English skiffle) and (English skift (“light dusting of snow”) from) Scots skift (“light shower of snow”), from skift (“move lightly”), perhaps related to shift/Old Norse skipta, or perhaps an onomatopoeic formation.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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