skill
1 Americannoun
-
the ability, coming from one's knowledge, practice, aptitude, etc., to do something well.
Carpentry was one of his many skills.
- Synonyms:
- facility, proficiency
- Antonyms:
- inability
-
competent excellence in performance; expertness; dexterity.
The dancers performed with skill.
- Synonyms:
- cleverness, deftness
-
a craft, trade, or job requiring manual dexterity or special training in which a person has competence and experience.
the skill of cabinetmaking.
-
Obsolete. understanding; discernment.
-
Obsolete. reason; cause.
verb (used without object)
-
to matter.
-
to help; avail.
noun
-
special ability in a task, sport, etc, esp ability acquired by training
-
something, esp a trade or technique, requiring special training or manual proficiency
-
obsolete understanding
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of skill1
First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English, from Old Norse skil “distinction, difference”; cognate with Dutch geschil “difference, quarrel”; see skill 2 ( def. )
Origin of skill2
First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English skilien, from Old Norse skilja “to distinguish, divide,” akin to skil ( see skill 1 ( def. )), Old English scylian “to separate,” Gothic skilja “butcher,” Lithuanian skélti “to split”
Explanation
If you have an ability that required practice, training, or experience, you have a skill. His welding skill allowed him to create wonderful pieces of art out of metal plumbing pipes. He called his best work "Peace Pipes." Chess is a game of skill, but Old Maid is a game of luck. The noun skill comes from an Old Norse word, skil, which means distinction. His swimming skills left a lot to be desired: he flailed around in the pool, churning up water like an egg beater. It kept him from drowning, but it didn't look pretty. You're supposed to learn basic math and reading skills in elementary school.
Vocabulary lists containing skill
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Beowulf vocabulary
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Mark of Athena
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The Skylar Capital founder plays a game of ‘Luck vs. Skill’.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 8, 2026
Skill, audacity and patience, criminal connections, a fair amount of luck, and inspiration from a Sherlock Holmes story culminated in a weekend of high drama and barely believable farce.
From BBC • Nov. 16, 2024
He was also named UW’s Newcomer of the Year and Defensive Skill Player of the Year.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 30, 2023
“It’s the playoffs. Skill doesn’t mean a thing. You’ve got to battle hard for your opportunities.”
From Washington Times • May 6, 2023
Skill he had, and he might have stayed there his whole life, bent over a desk, his neck growing forward instead of upright, had not the brothers taken ill one day from bad fish.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
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.
