ski

1 of 2

noun

ˈskē How to pronounce ski (audio)
British sometimes
ˈshē How to pronounce ski (audio)
plural skis also ski
1
a
: one of a pair of narrow strips of wood, metal, or plastic curving upward in front that are used especially for gliding over snow
b
: water ski
2
: a piece of material that resembles a ski and is used as a runner on a vehicle

ski

2 of 2

verb

skied ˈskēd How to pronounce ski (audio) ˈshēd How to pronounce ski (audio) ; skiing

intransitive verb

: to glide on skis in travel or as a sport

transitive verb

: to travel or pass over on skis
skiable
ˈskē-ə-bəl How to pronounce ski (audio)
adjective
skier noun

Examples of ski in a Sentence

Verb I have skied that mountain before.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
More hotels are expected from exciting names in hospitality like Edition, W, and Rocco Forte—just in time too, as Milan will co-host the winter Olympics in 2026, a duty shared with the ski town of Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Dolomites. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026 The heart-stopping documentary follows the quest of mountaineer-skiers Jim Morrison, who joined them on stage, and Hilaree Nelson to scale the North Face of Mount Everest and the ski down it. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2026
Verb
Mahomes floated one in over the shoulder of Noah Gray for a 22-yard completion to set up a field goal, and Kelce skied for an 11-yard touchdown reception to seal the outcome. — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 27 Sep. 2026 After McConnell hit a wedge to 15 feet, Florjancic skied his approach off the back of the green, leaving McConnell another window. — Harris Horowitz, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ski

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Norwegian, from Old Norse skīth stick of wood, ski; akin to Old English scīd board, scēadan to divide — more at shed entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1755, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

circa 1890, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of ski was in 1755

Phrases Containing ski

Rhymes for ski

See All Rhymes for ski

Browse Nearby Words

Skhul man
ski
skia-
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ski.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ski. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

ski

1 of 2 noun
ˈskē How to pronounce ski (audio)
plural skis
: one of a pair of narrow strips of wood, metal, or plastic curving upward in front that are used for gliding over snow or water

ski

2 of 2 verb
skied; skiing
: to glide on skis
skier noun
Etymology

Noun

from Norwegian ski "a ski," from an early Norse word skīth "a stick of wood"

More from Merriam-Webster on ski

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ski

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