ski

American  

[skee] / ski /

Rarely skee

noun

plural

skis,

plural

ski

1. one of a pair of long, slender runners made of wood, plastic, or metal used in gliding over snow.

2. water ski.

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verb (used without object)

skied, skiing

1. to travel on skis, as for sport.

verb (used with object)

skied, skiing

1. to use skis on; travel on skis over.

   to ski the slopes of Switzerland.

ski British  

/ skiː /

noun

1. 1. one of a pair of wood, metal, or plastic runners that are used for gliding over snow. Skis are commonly attached to shoes for sport, but may also be used as landing gear for aircraft, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a ski boot

2. a water-ski

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verb

1. (intr) to travel on skis

Other Word Forms

• skiable adjective
• skier noun
• skiing noun

Etymology

Origin of ski

First recorded in 1745–55; from Norwegian; Old Norse skīth; cognate with Old English scīd “strip of wood,” German Scheit “thin board”

Example Sentences

Competitors ski, push and pull sleds, row, burpee, lunge and throw heavy medicine balls at a target in an effort to finish in the fastest time.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

Beneath the powder snow at internationally popular Japanese ski resort Niseko, anxiety is mounting among residents over soaring prices and a massive influx of overseas workers.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

Some engineers like to ski on the weekends but their agents continue performing tasks.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

When water expert Newsha Ajami went skiing near Lake Tahoe in early March, she saw snow from the last round of storms had rapidly disappeared from the slopes, and many ski lifts were closed.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 2026

I’d watched friends in high school go off on ski trips with their Jack and Jill groups.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama