English Explanatory Dictionary

skittish

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Easily scared or startled; timid.
  2. Wanton; changeable; fickle.
  3. Difficult to manage; tricky.

Pronunciation

/ˈskɪtɪʃ/ [ˈskɪɾɪʃ] en-us-skittish.ogg

Word forms

skittish more skittish most skittish

Etymology

Probably from skite (“to move lightly and hurriedly; to move suddenly, particularly in an oblique direction (Scotland, Northern England)”) + -ish; compare skitter.

Synonyms

spookish jumpy skittery skitterish squirrelly

Related words

startle

Derived words

skittishly skittishness unskittish
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