skiff

noun

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

Examples of skiff in a Sentence

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.
L’Epée 1839 reinterpreted La Regatta as a Métiers d’Art creation with Georgian enameler David Kakabadze, designed as a vertical clock with a long, slender silhouette drawn from a racing skiff through a blue, rare flinqué enameling technique. Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 19 Jan. 2026 From the skiff, Jewel prayed as the officers cuffed the men, allegedly roughed one up, and eventually coerced him into revealing where the stash was. Danielle Bacher, PEOPLE, 13 Dec. 2025 In addition to Machado, two people were on board the fishing skiff that skipped across the sea after a two-month planning process. Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 11 Dec. 2025 Witnesses at the scene told the authorities a person was seen clinging to the side of a small skiff boat in the river. Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 3 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for skiff

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Skiff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skiff. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

skiff

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

More from Merriam-Webster on skiff

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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