Definition of skiff
: any of various small boats; especially : a flat-bottomed rowboat
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Recent Examples of skiff from the Web
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Skiffs, dwarfed by the Maquoit’s 98-foot length, head in the opposite direction, steered by solo skippers on their way into the wharfs.
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As the events started and windsurfers, dinghies and skiffs flew by in the shadow of Sugarloaf Mountain, Mason freely admits Rio 2016 became as much about the topography as the sailing talent.
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Travel to shore and go on excursions via a skiff boat, each of which seats 15 and is headed by a captain and expert nature guide.
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Chris Byrnes, a state biologist, and Sheri Washington, an intern with the nonprofit Coastal Watershed Institute (C.W.I.), rowed a small skiff into a shallow pond.
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The writer is a miner with a pick; the writer is a pilot with a plane; the writer is a rower in a skiff, towing a log against the current, heading stoutly always in the same direction.
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UNTAVI, Bolivia — Overturned fishing skiffs lie abandoned on the shores of what was Bolivia’s second-largest lake.
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After what seems to be hours of floating around in a little fishing skiff, Bourdain and his companions finally reel in one good specimen, and return to dry land to toss it on the grill.
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When the pirates got within half a nautical mile, security officers on board fired off more warning shots, prompting the skiff to turn away.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'skiff'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of skiff
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
SKIFF Defined for English Language Learners
skiff
playDefinition of skiff for English Language Learners
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: a small, light boat that is usually for only one person
SKIFF Defined for Kids
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See words that rhyme with skiff Spanish Central: Translation of skiff Nglish: Translation of skiff for Spanish speakers
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