sky
skeye
Sky (noun) means the space above the earth where clouds, the sun, and stars appear. Example: “The sky turned orange as the sun went down.”
noun
1
The space above the earth where clouds, the sun, and stars appear.
"The sky turned orange as the sun went down."
"Not a cloud was in the sky all afternoon."
"We lay on the grass and watched the first stars appear in the dark sky."
verb
1
(sports, informal) To hit or kick a ball extremely high.
"He skied the ball over the crossbar and missed the goal."
"If you sky the ball like that, the keeper will have plenty of time."
How to use sky
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe open space above us, filled with clouds and stars — or, in sports slang, to send a ball flying way too high.
Common pairings
clear sky
blue sky
sky the ball
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Word forms
- Plural
- skies
- Third person singular
- skies
- Past tense
- skied, skyed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ turned orange as the sun went down.
Etymology
From Old Norse ský ("cloud"), which gradually replaced the older English word heofon in everyday use — heofon survives today as "heaven".
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “sky” mean?
The word “sky” means the space above the earth where clouds, the sun, and stars appear. In plain terms, the open space above us, filled with clouds and stars — or, in sports slang, to send a ball flying way too high.
How do you pronounce “sky”?
“Sky” is pronounced skeye (/skaɪ/ in IPA).
How do you use “sky” in a sentence?
Here is “sky” used in a sentence: “The sky turned orange as the sun went down.”
What part of speech is “sky”?
Depending on how it is used, “sky” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “sky” come from?
The word “sky” comes from Old Norse. From Old Norse ský ("cloud"), which gradually replaced the older English word heofon in everyday use — heofon survives today as "heaven".
Is “sky” a common word?
“Sky” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “sky” have?
“Sky” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the space above the earth where clouds, the sun, and stars appear.
Why is the sky blue?
The sky looks blue because gas molecules in the air scatter sunlight, and blue light — which travels in shorter, smaller waves — scatters much more strongly than other colours. This scattered blue light reaches your eyes from every part of the sky, so the daytime sky appears blue overhead.
What is the difference between the sky and space?
The sky is the space above the earth as seen from the ground, including the atmosphere where clouds, weather, and birds appear. Space is the vast, near-empty region beyond that atmosphere. The sky does not stop sharply but fades into outer space as the air gradually thins with height.
Why does the sky turn red at sunset?
At sunset the sun sits low, so its light travels through far more atmosphere to reach you. The shorter blue wavelengths scatter away along the way, leaving the longer red and orange wavelengths to come through. That is why sunrises and sunsets glow with warm colour.
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