skyscraper
- 01 B1 Intermediate
a very tall building with many floors, often found in the center of a city.
a continuously habitable building of exceptional height, typically exceeding 40 or 50 stories.
Simple“The Burj Khalifa is currently the tallest skyscraper in the world.”
In context“Modern skyscrapers often utilize advanced glass facades and structural damping systems to withstand high winds at extreme altitudes.”
Synonymshigh risetower - 02 C2 Proficiency
a small, high sail used on old ships.
a light, triangular sail set above the skysail on a square-rigged ship.
Simple“The old ship carried a skyscraper sail to catch the light winds high above the deck.”
In context“In the era of the great tea clippers, a skyscraper was occasionally deployed above the royal masts to maximize speed in calm waters.”
Synonymsskysail - 03 C1 Advanced
a word for anything that is very high or tall.
a figurative term for any object or person of extraordinary height.
Simple“The giant oak tree was a natural skyscraper in the middle of the forest.”
In context“Standing nearly seven feet tall, the athlete was a skyscraper among his teammates.”
Compound of sky + scraper, first applied to tall steel-frame buildings in American cities such as New York City and Chicago in the 1880s.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.