Skype

American  

[skahyp] / skaɪp /

Trademark.

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

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verb (used with or without object)

1. 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

Niklas Zennström, the billionaire founder of internet-telecommunications pioneer Skype, said the privatizations helped fuel innovation in sectors like telecoms, which have underpinned the country’s tech boom.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026

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

From BBC • Apr. 24, 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

I have to send her as many pictures as possible, and Skype her every Monday evening, no matter what.

From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott