skittish
Americanadjective
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apt to start or shy.
a skittish horse.
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restlessly or excessively lively.
a skittish mood.
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fickle; uncertain.
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shy; coy.
adjective
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playful, lively, or frivolous
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difficult to handle or predict
-
rare coy
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of skittish
1375–1425; late Middle English, perhaps derivative of the Scand source of skite 1; see -ish 1
Explanation
If you're skittish, you're unpredictable and excitable. You've probably seen skittish horses in parades — the loud noises and crowds of people make them very nervous and jumpy. The adjective skittish isn't just for animals — humans can be skittish too. If you're sleeping in a haunted house, for example, you're likely to be skittish, jumping at every moving shadow. Skittish can also mean flighty in thought — like your boss who's skittish about giving you a raise and avoids discussing it. The word is thought to have come from the Scandinavian word skyt, meaning "very lively, frivolous."
Vocabulary lists containing skittish
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Touching Spirit Bear
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The Things They Carried
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Skittish travelers started saying they plan to avoid airports this holiday season.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 12, 2025
Skittish theater-goers who returned often had an appetite for only established, comfort shows.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 6, 2022
Skittish electronic-influenced beats, textured guitar tones and introspective lyrics are woven together on “Painless” to create an immersive listening experience.
From New York Times • Mar. 3, 2022
Skittish about injuries, she said he could once he reached the seventh grade, hoping he would forget about the endeavor.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 2, 2021
Skittish, mebby—young blood most gen'rally is, when there's any ginger in it.
From The Gringos by Fischer, Anton Otto
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
