Skype

American

[skahyp] / skaɪp /

Trademark.

a brand name for a software application and online service that enables voice and video phone calls over the internet.

verb (used with or without object)

to participate in a real-time conversation with (one or more people) using Skype.

Etymology

Origin of Skype

First recorded in 2000–05; short for “Sky peer-to-peer”

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.

The exterior of the flat mentioned in the Skype chat is pictured in one of these photographs.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

They stayed in touch through daily Skype calls.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

That was the beginning of a lot of book club visits, some in person, many virtual first via Skype and then, during and after the pandemic, via Zoom.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

WhatsApp then strangled Skype on smartphones, and the “go around and strangle” dance continues.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026

It had been a long time since he’d seen his father in person and not just on Skype.

From "A Monster Calls" by Patrick Ness

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023