ski

1 of 2

noun

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 2

verb

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

Examples of ski in a Sentence

Verb

I have skied that mountain before.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Other Researchers Exploring Light and Sound At Georgia Tech and Emory University, associate professor Annabelle Singer is running a parallel line of research using something that looks like ski goggles paired with headphones. — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 13 July 2026

In the early hours of New Year's Day, a fire tore through a bar in the Swiss ski resort town of Crans-Montana, killing about 40 people and injuring more than 100. — ABC News, 13 July 2026

Verb

Building From Belief, Not Just Business Plans In her free time, Howarth loves to ski. — Sarwant Singh, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026

Her profile has spectacular clips of her flying off terrifying cliffs and skiing out unfazed. — William Finnegan, New Yorker, 29 June 2026

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

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"