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

Chairlifts are beginning to spin across the Rockies and beyond—according to On the Snow, 18 ski areas have opened across the United States. —Frederick Dreier and Adam Roy, Outside Online, 11 Nov. 2024

This ski season, the Amtrak Winter Park Express will kick off its seasonal service on Dec. 20 and run from Denver’s Union Station to both the Winter Park Resort and nearby Fraser, Colorado, according to Amtrak. —Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2024

Verb

One tester wore them to ski two California volcanoes, Mount Shasta and Lassen Peak, and opted for the darker lens the entire time. —Outside Editors, Outside Online, 11 Nov. 2024

Volunteering with Ignite Adaptive Sports at Eldora Mountain Resort used to involve more than serving long hours in sometimes numbing cold, snow and winter winds to help people with disabilities learn to ski and snowboard. —John Meyer, The Denver Post, 4 Nov. 2024

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

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"