ski

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈskē 

British sometimes

ˈshē 

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

: water ski

2

: a piece of material that resembles a ski and is used as a runner on a vehicle

ski

2 of 4

verb (1)

skied ˈskēd  ˈshēd  ; skiing

intransitive verb

: to glide on skis in travel or as a sport

transitive verb

: to travel or pass over on skis

skiable

ˈskē-ə-bəl 

adjective

skier noun

sky

3 of 4

noun (2)

ˈskī 

plural skies

1

: the upper atmosphere or expanse of space that constitutes an apparent great vault or arch over the earth

2

: heaven sense 2

3

a

: weather in the upper atmosphere

b

: climate

… temperate English skies …

—G. G. Coulton

sky

4 of 4

verb (2)

skied or skyed; skying

transitive verb

1

chiefly British : to throw or toss up : flip

2

: to hang (something, such as a painting) above the line of vision

3

: to hit (a ball) high into the air

intransitive verb

: to jump high

sky for a rebound

Synonyms of ski

Noun (2)

• blue
• welkin
• skyline
• horizon
• firmament
• heaven(s)

Examples of ski in a Sentence

Verb (1)

I have skied that mountain before.

Noun (2)

There wasn't a cloud in the sky.

Dark clouds moved quickly across the sky.

Hailstones suddenly fell out of the sky.

The sun was high in the sky.

The forecast is for sunny skies tomorrow.

a patch of blue sky

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The unsung heroes behind the state’s 28 ski areas are the patrollers. —Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026

There will also be a dedicated ski reception lobby and ski locker room, meeting and conference facilities, as well as two levels of underground parking. —Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026

Verb

And while the midnight sun brings a feeling of timelessness that allows for hiking to beautiful viewpoints, kayaking, biking, boating, and cold-water swimming, winter brings a stunning display of the Northern Lights as well as skiing down the island’s peaks. —Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 4 June 2026

The Troodos Mountains, Cyprus — Mount Olympus rises more than 1,900 meters, offering hiking and cycling in warm months and skiing in winter, plus traditional villages like Lofou that bear no resemblance to a typical Cyprus beach holiday. —Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026

Noun

His eyes were beautiful and distant, as blue as the sky in my homeland. —Literary Hub, 10 June 2026

Visitors of all ages can ride the sky lift to the top for sweeping views of the mountains below and beyond. —Usa Today Network, USA Today, 10 June 2026

Verb

Storms may fade Friday morning, then redevelop later in the afternoon if skies clear and the air heats back up. —Kansas City Star, 4 June 2026

Clear skies American multinational technology company Intel showcases their motherboards during the artificial intelligence exhibition AI EXPO 2026 in Taipei, Taiwan, on March 25, 2026. —Alex Harring, CNBC, 1 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

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

Noun (2)

Middle English, cloud, sky, from Old Norse skȳ cloud; akin to Old English scēo cloud

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1755, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

circa 1890, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1802, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing ski

• après-ski
• ski boot
• ski cross
• ski jump
• ski lift
• ski mask
• ski patrol
• ski pole
• ski run
• ski touring
• ski tow
• water ski

Rhymes for ski

• be
• bee
• bree
• cree
• fee
• flea
• flee
• free
• gee
• ghee
• glee
• he

Kids Definition

ski

1 of 2 noun

ˈskē 

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"