How to pronounce skiff
Say it like SKIF. Skiff is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce skiff. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SKIF
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Skiff pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SKIFSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of skiff
American and British speakers say skiff in essentially the same way: /skɪf/ in the US and /skɪf/ in the UK.
British respelling: SKIF.
What does skiff mean?
- A small flat-bottomed open boat with a pointed bow and square stern.
- Any of various types of boats small enough for sailing or rowing by one person.
- A light, fleeting shower of rain or snow, or gust of wind, etc.“A skiff of rain blew into the shed and the two men moved their chairs back.”
- A (typically light) dusting of snow or ice (or dust, etc) (on ground, water, trees, etc).
- To navigate in a skiff.
Where does skiff come from?
From Middle English skif, from Middle French esquif, from Old Italian schifo (“small boat”), from Lombardic skif (“boat”), from Proto-Germanic *skipą (“boat, ship”).
Words that rhyme with skiff
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of skiff.
Questions about saying skiff
How do you pronounce skiff?
Say SKIF. The American pronunciation is /skɪf/. In British English it is /skɪf/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in skiff?
Skiff is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SKIF.
Do Americans and Brits say skiff the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /skɪf/ and the British form is /skɪf/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.