noun

skinny dipping

SKIN-ee DIP-ing

Skinny dipping (noun) means the act of swimming naked, usually outdoors and usually for fun. Example: “The night ended with skinny dipping in the lake.”

noun

informal The act of swimming naked, usually outdoors and usually for fun.

"The night ended with skinny dipping in the lake."

"Skinny dipping is illegal on most public beaches here."

verb

informal To swim without any clothes on (usually as 'skinny dip' or 'go skinny dipping').

"We skinny dipped in the hotel pool at three in the morning."

How to use skinny dipping

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishSwimming with no clothes on.

When to use it

Playful and informal; carries no strong sexual connotation in ordinary use.

Memory tip

The verb is 'skinny dip'; the activity is 'skinny dipping'. It is often written as one word, skinny-dipping.

Trace the full origin ↓

Common pairings

go skinny dipping skinny dipping in the lake midnight skinny dip

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Can you complete this real example?

The night ended with _____ in the lake.

Etymology

From 'skinny' in the sense of 'relating to bare skin' plus 'dip', an old word for a quick swim.

Origin: English

Synonyms

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nude swimming bathing in the nude

Rhymes for skinny dipping

tipping dipping ripping nipping sipping yipping shipping whipping slipping dripping clipping gripping

See all rhymes for skinny dipping →

Frequently asked questions

Is skinny dipping the same as nudism?

No. Skinny dipping is a one-off, usually spontaneous swim without clothes. Nudism, or naturism, is an ongoing practice and social philosophy of going without clothes, generally in designated places or clubs.

Is skinny dipping legal?

It depends entirely on where you are. Many countries and states treat public nudity as an offence unless you are at a designated nude beach or on private land, so the same swim can be perfectly legal in one spot and an arrestable offence a mile away.

What is the meaning of skinny dipping?

"skinny dipping" (noun) means the act of swimming naked, usually outdoors and usually for fun.

What is another word for skinny dipping?

Other words for "skinny dipping" include nude swimming, bathing in the nude.