plural skis also ski
1
a
: one of a pair of narrow strips of wood, metal, or plastic curving upward in front that are used especially for gliding over snow
b
2
: a piece of material that resembles a ski and is used as a runner on a vehicle

ski

2 of 2

verb

intransitive verb

: to glide on skis in travel or as a sport

transitive verb

: to travel or pass over on skis
skier noun

Examples of ski in a Sentence

Verb I have skied that mountain before.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
In fact, James Bond did battle with a squad of baddies using the snow ski version in the thriller The World Is Not Enough, and the US military has been experimenting with the concept. New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2026 Karapetian also told investors that the sport segment is 75 percent of global revenue, largely in apparel in ski and sailing. Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2026
Verb
Unlike present-day climber Jim Morrison, Mallory didn’t also want to ski down it. Guy Lodge, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026 From truffle hunting in Margaret River to skiing among snow gums, Australia offers plenty of reasons to embrace its cooler season. Stuart Rigg, Travel + Leisure, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ski

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Norwegian, from Old Norse skīth stick of wood, ski; akin to Old English scīd board, scēadan to divide — more at shed entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1755, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

circa 1890, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of ski was in 1755

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ski.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ski. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

Kids Definition

plural skis
: one of a pair of narrow strips of wood, metal, or plastic curving upward in front that are used for gliding over snow or water

ski

2 of 2 verb
skied; skiing
: to glide on skis
skier noun
Etymology

Noun

from Norwegian ski "a ski," from an early Norse word skīth "a stick of wood"

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