skipper

¹ American  

[skip-er] / ˈskɪp ər /

noun

1. the master or captain of a vessel, especially of a small trading or fishing vessel.

2. a captain or leader, as of a team.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to act as skipper of.

skipper ² American  

[skip-er] / ˈskɪp ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that skips.

2. any of various insects that hop or fly with jerky motions.

3. any of numerous quick-flying, lepidopterous insects of the family Hesperiidae, closely related to the true butterflies.

4. saury.

---

skipper ¹ British  

/ ˈskɪpə /

noun

1. the captain of any vessel

2. the captain of an aircraft

3. a manager or leader, as of a sporting team

---

verb

1. to act as skipper (of)

skipper ² British  

/ ˈskɪpə /

noun

1. a person or thing that skips

2. any small butterfly of the family Hesperiidae, having a hairy mothlike body and erratic darting flight

3. another name for saury

---

Etymology

Origin of skipper¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Middle Dutch schipper, equivalent to schip ship ¹ + -er -er ¹

Origin of skipper²

1200–50; Middle English: locust. See skip ¹, -er ¹

Example Sentences

Batting after skipper Ben Stokes won the toss at a sold-out Sydney Cricket Ground, they steered the tourists to 211-3 when they went off for bad light with tea called 10 minutes early.

From Barron's

There was a thought before this series that it could be decided by which skipper urges his body through the most time on the field.

From BBC

Australia skipper Steve Smith said Saturday he had no end date to call time on his career, while keeping England guessing on how his team will line up for the fifth and final Ashes Test.

From Barron's

The skipper is speaking on his radio - he's looking for fishing trawlers.

From BBC

After captaining Young England, he then became Glamorgan's youngest skipper in 1986 before relinquishing the role three years later to concentrate on his batting.

From BBC

Related Words

• captain
• sea captain