skittish
Americanadjective
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apt to start or shy.
a skittish horse.
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restlessly or excessively lively.
a skittish mood.
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fickle; uncertain.
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shy; coy.
adjective
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playful, lively, or frivolous
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difficult to handle or predict
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rare coy
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of skittish
1375–1425; late Middle English, perhaps derivative of the Scand source of skite 1; see -ish 1
Explanation
If you're skittish, you're unpredictable and excitable. You've probably seen skittish horses in parades — the loud noises and crowds of people make them very nervous and jumpy. The adjective skittish isn't just for animals — humans can be skittish too. If you're sleeping in a haunted house, for example, you're likely to be skittish, jumping at every moving shadow. Skittish can also mean flighty in thought — like your boss who's skittish about giving you a raise and avoids discussing it. The word is thought to have come from the Scandinavian word skyt, meaning "very lively, frivolous."
Vocabulary lists containing skittish
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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.
But both know that investors are skittish about a spending surge that has yet to deliver returns good enough to justify the outlays.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
Stock markets may become increasingly skittish should the 10-year start getting near the 5% mark.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
Investors have been skittish about the amount of time people spend on the streaming platform.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
There was no such doubt for Brook's decision, ending his skittish 24.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
The children around me move like a skittish herd.
From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline
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.
