Skirt Meaning
/skɜːt/Definition, CEFR level A1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA separate article of clothing, usually worn by women and girls, that hangs from the waist and covers the lower torso and part of the legs.
nounA similar part of a dress or robe, etc., that hangs below the waist.
Sentence Examples
I'm looking for a warm, woolen skirt.
It was yesterday that Mary bought this skirt.
CEFR Practice Quiz
She wore a long ____ that flowed to her ankles in the summer breeze.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She wore a colorful ____ that flowed gracefully as she danced in the warm breeze.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *skurtijǭ Old Norse skyrtabor. Middle English skyrte English skirt From Middle English skyrte, from Old Norse skyrta, from Proto-Germanic *skurtijǭ. Doublet of shirt. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Skoarte (“apron”), Dutch schort (“apron”), German Schürze (“apron”), Danish skørt (“skirt”), Swedish skört (“hem of a jacket”), Norwegian skjørt (“skirt”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
""I like purple best," said Maida. "And old Schlegel has promised to make it for $8. It's going to be lovely. I'm going to have a plaited skirt and a blouse coat trimmed with a band of galloon under a white cloth collar with two rows of—""
— c. 1907, O. Henry, The Purple Dress:
"The petticoats and skirts ordinarily worn are decidedly the heaviest part of the dress ; hence it is necessary that some reform should be effected in these."
— 1885, Ada S. Ballin, chapter XI, in The Science of Dress in Theory and Practice:
"“It's all clear,” he whispered. “Have you the chisel and the bags? Great Scott! Jump, Archie, jump, and I'll swing for it!”
Sherlock Holmes had sprung out and seized the intruder by the collar. The other dived down the hole, and I heard the sound of rending cloth as Jones clutched at his skirts."
— 1891, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Red-Headed League:
"I had sprung to my feet. I was speaking, and yet I had prepared no words. Tarp Henry, my companion, was plucking at my skirts and I heard him whispering, "Sit down, Malone! Don't make a public ass of yourself.""
— 1912, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC:
""Mate," said the Cockney, after we'd finished about half the bottle, "it comes to me that we're a couple o' blightin' idjits to be workin' for a skirt."
"What d'ya mean?" I asked, taking a pull at the bottle.
"Well, 'ere's us, two red-blooded 'e-men, takin' orders from a lousy little frail, 'andin' the swag h'over to 'er, and takin' wot she warnts to 'and us, w'en we could 'ave the 'ole lot. Take this job 'ere now--""
— 1931, Robert E. Howard, Alleys of Peril:
Explore More A1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
She wore a long ____ that flowed to her ankles in the summer breeze.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She wore a colorful ____ that flowed gracefully as she danced in the warm breeze.