skipper

1 of 3

noun (1)

skip·​per ˈski-pər 

1

: any of various erratically active insects (such as a click beetle or a water strider)

2

: one that skips

3

: saury

4

: any of a superfamily (Hesperioidea, especially family Hesperiidae) of lepidopterous insects that visibly differ from the typical butterflies especially in having stout bodies, smaller wings, and usually hooked antennae

skipper

2 of 3

noun (2)

1

: the master of a ship

especially : the master of a fishing, small trading, or pleasure boat

2

: the captain or first pilot of an airplane

3

: a person in a position of leadership

especially : a baseball team's manager

skipper

3 of 3

verb

skip·​per

skippered; skippering ˈski-p(ə-)riŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to act as skipper of (a boat or ship)

2

: to act as the principal coach or manager of

skipper a team

Synonyms

Noun (2)

• captain
• commander
• skip

Examples of skipper in a Sentence

Noun (2)

we asked the skipper how long it would be before we reached port

Verb

The boat was skippered by a skilled veteran sailor.

He skippered the team to their latest World Series win.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Back in the ballpark Bonds once called home, a stadium where Roberts has seen hundreds of games as a player and manager, the Dodgers’ skipper turned his gaze skyward after a thunderous Ohtani swing. —Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2024

Based on true events, José Dura, skipper of Spanish trawler, rescues 51 immigrants adrift in mid-Mediterranean. —John Hopewell, Variety, 14 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

Middle English, from Middle Dutch schipper, from schip ship; akin to Old English scip ship — more at ship

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1893, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

skipper

1 of 2 noun

skip·​per ˈskip-ər 

1

: one that skips

2

: any of various insects that differ from the related butterflies especially in having stout bodies, smaller wings, and usually antennae with curved ends

skipper

2 of 2 noun

: the master of a ship

especially : the master of a fishing, small trading, or pleasure boat

Etymology

Noun

skip (verb) and -er (noun suffix)

Noun

Middle English skipper "the master of a ship," from early Dutch schipper (same meaning), from schip "ship"