skyscraper
Americannoun
-
a relatively tall building of many stories, especially one for office or commercial use.
-
Architecture. a building of exceptional height completely supported by a framework, as of girders, from which the walls are suspended, as opposed to a building supported by load-bearing walls.
noun
Etymology
Origin of skyscraper
Explanation
A skyscraper is a very tall building, like New York City's Empire State Building, which held the title of "World's Tallest Building" for many years. You're most likely to see a skyscraper in a large city like New York or Hong Kong. You can spot the tourists in these cities because they are often gazing up at the tops of the skyscrapers. The designation of a building as a skyscraper was originally an Americanism, but the earliest recorded use of skyscraper was for a triangular sail set topmost on a square-rigged ship, and at other times in the past the word was used to designate a very tall man and a high-flying bird, among other things.
Vocabulary lists containing skyscraper
September Words
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Towers Falling
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for October 30–November 5, 2021
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
She will make her Netflix debut next year for with Skyscraper Live, where free solo climber Alex Honnold will attempt to scale Taipei 101, the tallest building in Taiwan.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 18, 2025
Yet the scene actually improves atop Skyscraper Mountain, offering a 360-degree view that overlooks the uncommonly flat expanse of Grand Park to the north, a rare sight amid Rainier’s volcanic topography.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 8, 2022
Skyscraper charged $150 a name, collecting the money in cryptocurrency.
From Washington Times • Feb. 17, 2022
I gather from “Housing Density,” a timely and thought-provoking show now at the Skyscraper Museum in New York, that the density of Tudor City is 463 people per acre.
From New York Times • Jan. 28, 2020
I’ve been called the Mastodon of Montgomery Middle, the Springfield Skyscraper, the Moving Mountain, the Terrible Tower, the...You get the idea.
From "Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish" by Pablo Cartaya
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.
