skitter

American  

[skit-er] / ˈskɪt ər /

verb (used without object)

1. to go, run, or glide lightly or rapidly.

2. to skim along a surface.

3. Angling. to draw a lure or a baited hook over the water with a skipping motion.

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verb (used with object)

1. to cause to skitter.

skitter British  

/ ˈskɪtə /

verb

1. to move or run rapidly or lightly; scamper

2. to skim or cause to skim lightly and rapidly, as across the surface of water

3. (intr) angling to draw a bait lightly over the surface of water

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Etymology

Origin of skitter

1835–45; skit, variant of skite ¹ + -er ⁶

Explanation

When someone or something moves in a rapid, light way, you can say they skitter. Your cat might spend hours fascinated by the bugs that skitter across your window. Little kids will usually skitter onto a playground, moving much more slowly when it's time to leave. And while older cats spend much of the day sleeping lazily, playful kittens will skitter crazily around the house if you give them a crumpled ball of paper to play with. Skitter comes from an old verb, skite, "to dart or run quickly," probably from a Scandinavian root.

Example Sentences

Robots skitter and whir around the 40-foot tall columns, which are part of a multi-step process that will ultimately convert the CO2 to concrete, rendering the planet-warming compound into nothing more harmful than a stone.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2024

A little fuel and some high-frequency sparking makes the robot skitter across the ground.

From Science Daily • Sep. 19, 2023

That helped jar the puck loose to skitter over to Kotkaniemi for the near-post putaway at 3:58.

From Washington Times • May 6, 2023

Lizards and roadrunners skitter across the museum floor.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 14, 2022

I look up to see a mama barn swallow skitter off from her nest for more food.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

Related Words

• bound
• carom
• flit
• gambol
• graze
• lope
• prance
• ricochet
• scamper
• scoot
• skim
• tiptoe