skirt
20 synonyms and 2 antonyms for skirt, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A piece of clothing that hangs from the waist, covering the lower body.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
A piece of clothing that hangs from the waist, covering the lower body.
“The dancer's skirt swirled as she turned across the stage.”
How to use skirt
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
skirt the issue
skirt around a problem
pencil skirt
Etymology
From Old Norse skyrta, a doublet of the English word "shirt" — both ultimately meant a piece of cloth worn on the body, before splitting into separate garments in meaning.
Full origin of skirt →Frequently asked questions
What does “skirt” mean?
The word “skirt” means a piece of clothing that hangs from the waist, covering the lower body. In plain terms, the clothing item worn from the waist down, or — as a verb — to go around the edge of something instead of facing it directly.
How do you pronounce “skirt”?
“Skirt” is pronounced skurt (/skɚt/ in IPA).
How do you use “skirt” in a sentence?
Here is “skirt” used in a sentence: “She wore a long denim skirt to the interview.”
What part of speech is “skirt”?
Depending on how it is used, “skirt” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “skirt” come from?
The word “skirt” comes from Old Norse. From Old Norse skyrta, a doublet of the English word "shirt" — both ultimately meant a piece of cloth worn on the body, before splitting into separate garments in meaning.
Is “skirt” a common word?
“Skirt” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “skirt” have?
“Skirt” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a piece of clothing that hangs from the waist, covering the lower body.
What is the difference between a skirt and a dress?
A skirt is a separate garment worn from the waist down, covering the lower body. A dress is a single garment that covers both the upper and lower body in one piece, so a skirt is only the bottom half.
What is the difference between 'skirt around' and 'avoid'?
To 'skirt around' something means to go around its edge or deal with it only indirectly, while still staying near it. 'Avoid' is broader and means to keep away from something entirely, without necessarily circling near it.
What is the difference between skirt and circumvent?
To skirt something is to pass around its edge or dodge it, often to avoid difficulty. To circumvent means to cleverly find a way around an obstacle or rule; both can mean avoiding, but 'circumvent' implies more deliberate strategy.
