skipper
1 Americannoun
-
the master or captain of a vessel, especially of a small trading or fishing vessel.
-
a captain or leader, as of a team.
verb (used with object)
-
skippers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
skippered,
past participle, past
-
skippering
present participle
noun
-
the captain of any vessel
-
the captain of an aircraft
-
a manager or leader, as of a sporting team
verb
noun
-
a person or thing that skips
-
any small butterfly of the family Hesperiidae, having a hairy mothlike body and erratic darting flight
-
another name for saury
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
skippersimple
-
skipperssimple
-
have skipperedperfect
-
has skipperedperfect
-
am skipperingprogressive
-
are skipperingprogressive
-
is skipperingprogressive
-
have been skipperingperfect progressive
-
has been skipperingperfect progressive
Past
-
skipperedsimple
-
had skipperedperfect
-
was skipperingprogressive
-
were skipperingprogressive
-
had been skipperingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of skipper1
1350–1400; Middle English < Middle Dutch schipper, equivalent to schip ship 1 + -er -er 1
Origin of skipper2
Explanation
The person in charge of a ship or boat is the skipper. Another word for the skipper is the "captain," but skipper is so much more fun to say. Skipper is an informal name for the captain, a way to address the person who's at the helm of a boat or in command of a Navy ship. The word skipper comes from the Dutch schipper, from schip, or "ship." Sometimes this word is also used for the captain of a team or the pilot of an airplane.
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.
See Examples For:
There are already signs his link-up with skipper Bruno Fernandes could prove productive.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
"A lot has changed in the eight years I've been here," said skipper McGinn.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
Kretinsky felt the agreement gave West Ham stability and allowed it to move into the summer following relegation with the clarity that persuaded skipper Jarrod Bowen to stay.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
When you think of Joe Torre, it’s as a former Dodgers skipper.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
The skipper pulled his chronometer out from beneath his shirt.
From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong
He is the white-ball captain and Test vice-captain - past England skippers have had to address far more serious matters than the consequences of a night out.
From BBC ● Jan. 21, 2026
"The skippers of the boats and the whole fishing community now know exactly where to find us," says Dr James Gunning, the local NHS GP in charge of the clinic that day.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2025
His 56 postseason victories rank sixth all time, and trail Bruce Bochy of the Texas Rangers by just one for the lead among active skippers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 10, 2025
Some boat skippers are trying to keep their vessels afloat with whale watching and the scattering of human remains.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 3, 2025
The boats out there now were moving on blind bearings, and he didn’t necessarily trust their skippers.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
In other sports endeavors, Turner successfully skippered the US yacht Courageous to win the 1977 America's Cup.
From Barron's ● May 6, 2026
The 35-year-old has made 105 appearances for England and skippered his country in 2024.
From Barron's ● Jan. 21, 2026
De Ligt, who skippered Ajax to the Champions League semi-finals in 2019, feels that, because of his nationality and the Dutch reputation for blunt speaking, Amorim's words are positive.
From BBC ● May 31, 2025
Wes Morgan skippered them to the title having joined from Forest in 2012 after a 10-year career at the City Ground.
From BBC ● Jan. 13, 2025
They had often talked of a deep-sea-fishing boat, which they would buy, man themselves, and rent to vacationers—this though neither had ever skippered a canoe or hooked a guppy.
From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote
Capped 59 times by Wales, skippering them on 42 occasions, he also took them to the brink of the 1994 World Cup finals as coach -- which would have been their first appearance since 1958.
From Barron's ● Jan. 8, 2026
Williamson, 25, who plays for Women's Super League side Arsenal as well as skippering the Lionesses, said she hoped the award would help her to continue inspiring the next generation of sportswomen.
From BBC ● Mar. 28, 2023
It said one was suspected of skippering the vessel, and the other of assisting him.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 3, 2022
Slater was called up to the England Saxons squad in 2012, skippering them to victory over the Crusaders in New Zealand in 2014.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2022
"Well, I know if I were skippering a British warship and picked up the Narcissus, her owners would find I was born and bred in Missouri," the honest Matt admitted.
From Cappy Ricks Retires by Peter B. (Peter Bernard) Kyne
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.
