ski
Americannoun
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skis,
plural
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ski
plural
-
one of a pair of long, slender runners made of wood, plastic, or metal used in gliding over snow.
verb (used without object)
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skis,
present (3rd person singular)
-
skied,
past participle, past
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skiing
present participle
verb (used with object)
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skis,
present (3rd person singular)
-
skied,
past participle, past
-
skiing
present participle
noun
-
-
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
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( as modifier )
a ski boot
-
-
a water-ski
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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skisimple
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skissimple
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have skiedperfect
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has skiedperfect
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am skiingprogressive
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are skiingprogressive
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is skiingprogressive
-
have been skiingperfect progressive
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has been skiingperfect progressive
Past
-
skiedsimple
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had skiedperfect
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was skiingprogressive
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were skiingprogressive
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had been skiingperfect progressive
Future
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”
Explanation
Skis are sporting equipment—long, thin pieces of wood, plastic, or metal that you strap to your feet so you can glide across the snow or down a snowy hill. To slide down a mountain on skis is to ski. You can also cross country ski, or move across flat, snowy ground and gentle hills on skis. The special boots that skiers wear are called ski boots, and you also need a ski helmet and ski goggles when you go skiing. In its earliest English use, the word was spelled skee, and it's rooted in the Old Norse skið, "long snowshoe."
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:
Vail Resorts reported pass sales for the upcoming ski season dropped 12% through Sept. 18.
From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026
Most teams don ski goggles to celebrate with champagne and beer showers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026
The extreme heat is causing dwindling snowpack in the state, with far-reaching impacts on agriculture and water supply, not to mention the multi-billion dollar ski industry.
From Salon ● Sep. 5, 2026
As if those amenities weren’t enough to keep the Hollywood star entertained, the property also features its own ski slope, as well as a tennis court.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026
“You never see them in the ski brochures we get at church.”
From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray
They want the DJI camera, the designer bag and the skis.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
“The reason Americans will have a backlash if the first lady gets out too far over her skis, as they say, is that they are unaccountable,” Perry said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
Having given the infant Sinner an introduction to life on skis in his fourth winter, he was entrusted with tennis lessons the following summer.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
Meta is already further over its skis than its competitors in that area.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026
As I got nearer I noticed that below his long tan canvas coat with sagging pockets, below the red and black plaid woolen knickers and green puttees, he was wearing skis.
From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles
Mr. Chin looked left, looked right, and then jumped in and skied down Everest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
There was a comedy moment when Arshdeep Singh skied Tongue for what seemed a simple catch, only for the ball to by left to each other by Curran and Buttler.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
Ravindra needlessly skied Atkinson and Nicholls edged Archer, keeping the home side in the contest.
From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026
The next inning, Max Muncy skied a solo homer to right.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 30, 2026
Haukelid skied back across the border and rejoined the resistance.
From "Bomb" by Steve Sheinkin
Sarah and Geoff are part of a global personal finance phenomenon that has been dubbed "skiing", which stands for spending the kids' inheritance.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
In warmer weather, you can rent kayaks, wave runners and paddleboards or take a seasonal cruise aboard the Lake Lawn Queen; winter brings cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, ice fishing and sledding.
From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026
Whisenant had frequently posted about his adventures across the Sierra Nevada, not only rock climbing but also skiing, biking and camping across the mountains, according to his Instagram page.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
Colorado’s slopes may offer world-class skiing, but you don’t have to pay state taxes to enjoy the powder.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
A flash of Courtney in skiing clothes suddenly came into my mind.
From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott
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.
