skimmer
Americannoun
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skimmers
plural
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a person or thing that skims: an adept stone skimmer.
skimmers who just glance at the text;
an adept stone skimmer.
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a shallow utensil, usually perforated, used in skimming liquids.
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an electronic device used surreptitiously to appropriate information from the magnetic strip on a credit or debit card for illegal use.
Authorities have verified that skimmers were secretly installed at several local gas pumps.
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any of several gull-like birds of the family Rynchopidae, that skim the water with the elongated lower mandible immersed while in search of food.
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a stiff, wide-brimmed hat with a shallow flat crown, usually made of straw.
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a woman's A-line dress with side darts that shape it slightly to the body.
noun
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a person or thing that skims
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any of several mainly tropical coastal aquatic birds of the genus Rhynchops, having long narrow wings and a bill with an elongated lower mandible for skimming food from the surface of the water: family Rynchopidae, order Charadriiformes
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a flat perforated spoon used for skimming fat from liquids
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of skimmer
First recorded in 1350–1400; skim + -er 1; replacing Middle English skemour, skymour, variants of schumour, from Middle French (e)scumoir “ladle for skimming”; see scum
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:
Dozens of bright red flame skimmer dragonflies chase around a hand-dug pond and rubble-strewn stream.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2024
The Navy has also kept a skimmer on standby so it can remove any pollutants quickly.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 27, 2023
Fry a few pakoras at a time for 5 to 7 minutes, turning the pakora occasionally with a skimmer or slotted spoon to promote even browning.
From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2023
The skimmer is only one method that Tampa is using to remove waste from its local waters.
From New York Times ● Jun. 14, 2023
Kendra ran and seized the pool skimmer, swinging it at the relentless horde of fairies, never touching any of them no matter how dense the swarm appeared.
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
The most widespread practice was that of the so-called "salary skimmers" -- lawmakers who take a cut of their employees' pay.
From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026
Some have asked for more efficient trash skimmers that could help prevent waste from clogging the treatment plant.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 27, 2024
From ATM skimmers to shady merchants who give you incorrect change or counterfeit money, money scams are everywhere.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 28, 2023
Most municipal skimmers also have limited hours of operation, Mr. Muffett said.
From New York Times ● Jun. 14, 2023
The stiff ocean breeze blew the hats off and there was much laughter when the boys pulled the skimmers back by the cords.
From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith
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.
