skirting

American  

[skur-ting] / ˈskɜr tɪŋ /

noun

1. fabric for making skirts.

2. Often skirtings. low-grade wool and foreign matter removed from the outer edges of fleece.

3. Also called skirting board.  British. baseboard.

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skirting British  

/ ˈskɜːtɪŋ /

noun

1. a border, esp of wood or tiles, fixed round the base of an interior wall to protect it from kicks, dirt, etc

2. material used or suitable for skirts

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Etymology

Origin of skirting

First recorded in 1680–90; skirt + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

China this summer sent a cargo ship to the Polish port of Gdansk by skirting the North Pole, a route twice as fast as travel times using the Suez Canal.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 30, 2025

Ella lives in the “state,” she runs afoul of the “party,” but skirting these details feels too timid.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 12, 2025

Ships like these are allegedly cogs in a maritime smuggling network known as the "shadow fleet", skirting sanctions by passing themselves off as cargo vessels on legitimate business.

From Barron's • Dec. 2, 2025

A way of laundering legitimacy and skirting costly courtroom battles for pennies on the dollar.

From Slate • Nov. 3, 2025

Our tunnel finally opens up to a large expanse, an emerald lawn skirting a small gray house with a deep shady porch.

From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson

Related Words

• adjacent
• adjoining
• neighboring