skiff

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈskif 

: any of various small boats

especially : a flat-bottomed rowboat

skift

2 of 4

verb

ˈskift

-ed/-ing/-s

dialectal, British

: shift

skift

3 of 4

noun (2)

"

variants or skiff

ˈskif 

plural -s

dialectal

: something that is light: such as

a

: a light fall of snow or rain

b

: wisp

skift

4 of 4

ˈskift

dialectal variant of skiff:1

Examples of skiff in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Another unique addition to the outdoor space is a wooden skiff from Martha's Vineyard, which Leon says was one of his dad's favorite anecdotes to share with visitors. —Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 11 May 2026

Over several weeks during the summers of 2020 through 2023, our team spent many hours navigating Mosquito Lagoon in a small skiff designed for shallow depths, recording seagrass presence. —Hannah V. Herrero, The Conversation, 21 Apr. 2026

Stephanie Jocis observes a skiff carrying a missing family in the waters of Chuuk State, Federated States of Micronesia, during the early hours of April 6, 2026. —Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026

The same skiffs also take you to nearby lakes for a spot of swimming or piranha fishing; and on visits to remote villages. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

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

Verb

Middle English skiften to shift, divide, from Old Norse skipta to divide, change, be of importance

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for skiff

• biff
• cliff
• diff
• glyph
• griff
• if
• riff
• schiff
• sniff
• stiff
• tiff
• whiff

Kids Definition

skiff

noun

ˈskif 

: any of various small boats

especially : a flat-bottomed rowboat