skiff

noun

: any of various small boats
especially : a flat-bottomed rowboat

Examples of skiff in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The Mason shot the drone down while responding to reports the Houthis were attacking the Motor Vessel Ardmore Encounter, using skiffs and then firing the two missile that missed, according to the official, who said this occurred at approximately 8 a.m. local time. Martha Raddatz, ABC News, 13 Dec. 2023 The Martin County Sheriff's Office posted on social media about the rescue operation, saying that high winds and choppy waves caused a 15-foot skiff to begin to sink on the Intercoastal Waterway in Martin County, Florida. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 17 Nov. 2023 Most fishing ships do not carry skiffs, which are small boats with outboard motors that enable crew transfers by traversing the water between bigger vessels. Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2023 In many instances, the Chinese ships got spooked, pulling up their gear and fleeing the scene, and the reporters trailed the ships in a smaller and faster skiff to get close enough to throw onto their aft decks a plastic bottle weighed down with rice. Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2023 The next day, passengers can visit Columbia Hills State Park and Rowena Plateau on foot or by skiff boat while enjoying river dips, farm-to-fork delights, and a wine tour and tasting. Stacey Zable, Travel + Leisure, 25 May 2023 Not far away on the ocean, boat captain Christina Lovitt soon found herself on a skiff, also trying to help. Alaa Elassar, CNN, 11 Aug. 2023 Suddenly, as if on cue, a skiff approaches the dock, carrying sisters Laura Brown and Krysten Ward, arriving to transport the baby oysters to their nearby aquaculture farms. Alfredo Sosa, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Sep. 2023 Last year, as part of a series of experiments to test her theory, Fournet piloted a skiff out into Alaska’s Frederick Sound, where humpbacks gather to feed on clouds of krill. Camille Bromley, WIRED, 29 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'skiff.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English skif, from Middle French or Old Italian; Middle French esquif, from Old Italian schifo, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English scip ship

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of skiff was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near skiff

Cite this Entry

“Skiff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skiff. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

skiff

noun
: any of various small boats
especially : a flat-bottomed rowboat

More from Merriam-Webster on skiff

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!