Skipper

'skɪpər

nounmedium📊CommonGeneral
2 meanings3 questions

Definitions

2 meanings
1

The captain or person in command of a ship or boat.

'skɪpər

nounneutralmedium
General

The captain of a ship or boat.

The skipper gave the order to drop anchor.

💡 Simply: Imagine you're on a boat, and the skipper is the person in charge, like the driver! They decide where to go and make sure everyone is safe.

👶 For kids: The person who drives a boat and tells everyone what to do.

More Examples

2

The experienced skipper knew how to handle the rough seas.

3

The fishing boat's skipper was known for his expert knowledge of the local waters.

How It's Used

Nautical

"The skipper navigated the sailboat through the treacherous channel."

Sports

"The team's skipper led them to victory."

2

To act as the captain of a ship or boat.

'skɪpər

verbneutralmedium
General

To be the captain of a ship or boat.

She will skipper the next sailing trip.

💡 Simply: When you skipper, it means you're in charge of sailing the boat, like the captain!

👶 For kids: To be the person who drives the boat and tells everyone what to do.

More Examples

2

He has skippered several racing yachts.

3

They decided to skipper a small cruise ship.

How It's Used

Nautical

"He skippered the yacht during the regatta."

Tip:Picture yourself at the helm.

Synonyms & Antonyms

From Middle Dutch *schipper* or Middle Low German *schipper* (compare German *Schiffer*), meaning 'shipmaster, captain'.

The term has been in use since the early 17th century to describe the captain of a ship.

Memory tip

Think of a captain's uniform and a ship's wheel.

Word Origin

LanguageMiddle Dutch/Middle Low German
Original meaning

"shipmaster, captain"

Base: skip
the skippera seasoned skipperthe team skipper

Common misspellings

skkiperskiper

Usage

60%Spoken
40%Written