skirt

American  

[skurt] / skɜrt /

noun

1. the part of a gown, dress, slip, or coat that extends downward from the waist.

2. a one-piece garment extending downward from the waist and not joined between the legs, worn especially by women and girls.

3. some part resembling or suggesting the skirt of a garment, as the flared lip of a bell or a protective and ornamental cloth strip covering the legs of furniture.

4. a small leather flap on each side of a saddle, covering the metal bar from which the stirrup hangs.

5. Building Trades.

   1. baseboard.

   2. apron.

6. Also called apron.  Furniture.

   1. a flat horizontal brace set immediately beneath the seat of a chair, chest of drawers, or the like, to strengthen the legs.

   2. Also called bed, frieze.  a flat brace or support immediately beneath a tabletop.

7. Usually skirts the bordering, marginal, or outlying part of a place, group, etc.; the outskirts.

8. Older Slang: Usually Disparaging and Offensive. a term used to refer to a woman or girl.

   to chase some skirt;

   a skirt chaser.

9. Rocketry. an outer part of a rocket or missile that provides structural support or houses such systems as avionics or gyroscopes.

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verb (used with object)

1. to lie on or along the border of.

   The hills skirt the town.

2. to border, wrap, or cover with a skirt or something suggesting a skirt in appearance or function.

3. to pass along or around the border or edge of.

   Traffic skirts the town.

4. to avoid, go around the edge of, or keep distant from (something that is controversial, risky, etc.).

   The senator skirted the issue.

   Synonyms:

   bypass, circle, shun, evade

5. to remove low-grade wool and foreign matter from (the outer edge of fleece).

verb (used without object)

1. to be or lie on or along the edge of something.

2. to move along or around the border of something.

skirt British  

/ skɜːt /

noun

1. a garment hanging from the waist, worn chiefly by women and girls

2. the part of a dress below the waist

3. Also called: apron.  a frieze or circular flap, as round the base of a hovercraft

4. the flaps on a saddle that protect a rider's legs

5. a cut of beef from the flank

6. (often plural) a margin or outlying area

7. the lower part of a sheep's fleece

8. slang a girl or woman

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verb

1. (tr) to form the edge of

2. (tr) to provide with a border

3. to pass (by) or be situated (near) the outer edge of (an area, etc)

4. (tr) to avoid (a difficulty, etc)

   he skirted the issue

5. to remove the trimmings or inferior wool from (a fleece)

Other Word Forms

• skirted adjective
• skirtless adjective
• skirtlike adjective
• unskirted adjective

Etymology

Origin of skirt

1250–1300; Middle English skirte < Old Norse skyrta shirt

Example Sentences

Almost on a daily basis, police have arrested and put on trial farmers accused of trying to skirt the ban.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

Lloyd's List Intelligence said most of these vessels belonged to the so-called "shadow fleet" -- ships used to skirt Western sanctions and regulations, typically linked to Russia and Iran.

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

There’s also a nice selection of long-sleeved, men’s guayabera shirts, imported from Mexico, that would look great over a flowy skirt, I suggest.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

He complimented her on her blue pleated skirt and white blouse.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

Wavy brown hair and an immaculate gray jacket and skirt.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• bypass
• circumvent
• dodge
• elude
• evade
• ignore
• sidestep