skittish

adjective

skit·​tish ˈski-tish How to pronounce skittish (audio)
1
a
: lively or frisky in action : capricious
2
: easily frightened : restive
a skittish horse
3
a
b
: marked by extreme caution : wary
skittish investors
skittishly adverb
skittishness noun

Examples of skittish in a Sentence

We've been skittish about taking on such a large mortgage. the skittish colt leapt up when we approached
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Inflation is finally curbed, although still a source of worry for some skittish voters. Philip Elliott / Detroit, TIME, 24 Oct. 2024 Progressives love the idea, but even many moderate Democrats are skittish about the prospect. Joseph Thorndike, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 His scar doesn't seem to physically affect him, but he gets spooked by sudden or loud noises and can be skittish. Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 2 Nov. 2024 John Higgins and Martin Herlihy play skittish first-time skydivers. Bethy Squires, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for skittish 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from skit- (probably from Old Norse skyt-) + -ish

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of skittish was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near skittish

Cite this Entry

“Skittish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skittish. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

skittish

adjective
skit·​tish ˈskit-ish How to pronounce skittish (audio)
1
: lively or frisky in action
2
: easily frightened : restive
a skittish horse
3
skittishly adverb
skittishness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on skittish

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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