plural skirts
1
a(1)
: a free-hanging outer garment or undergarment covering some or all of the body from the waist down and traditionally worn by women and girls
Whether plaid or neutral, midi or mini, the pleated skirt has a certain staying power, a badge of being forever in.—
Megan O'Sullivan
Megan O'Sullivan
(2)
: a free-hanging part of an outer garment or undergarment extending from the waist down
… Ahab, without speaking, was slowly rubbing the gold piece against the skirts of his jacket, as if to heighten its lustre …—Herman Melville
Herman Melville
b
: a cloth facing that hangs from the bottom edge or across the front of a piece of furniture
I love to take a little kitchenette or bathroom and under sinks, instead of a big bulky cabinet; I love the idea of running a very simple … skirt underneath.—Chad James, quoted at housebeautiful.com
Chad James, quoted at housebeautiful.com
c
: either of two usually leather flaps on a saddle covering the bars on which the stirrups are hung
The more skirt material, the more weight added to the saddle, which explains why barrel-racing saddle skirts are round and barely extend beyond the saddle tree.—Cynthia McFarland
Cynthia McFarland2
a
: the rim, periphery, or environs of an area
b
skirts plural
: outlying parts (as of a town or city) : outskirts
… unfenced pastures on the skirts of the village.—Joseph Mitchell
Joseph Mitchell3
: a part or attachment serving as a rim, border, or edging
4
slang, often offensive
: a girl or woman
especially
: a female object of sexual desire
In the 1950s smoking, drinking, gambling, cursing, and skirt chasing were all classified as vices, things to be condemned and avoided. —Bill Nunes
Bill Nunes
skirted; skirting; skirts
1
: to form or run along the border or edge of : border
2
a
: to provide a skirt for
b
: to furnish a border or shield for
3
a
: to go or pass around or about
specifically
: to go around or keep away from in order to avoid danger or discovery
b
: to avoid especially because of difficulty or fear of controversy
skirted the issue
c
: to evade or miss by a narrow margin
having skirted disaster—Edith Wharton
Edith Wharton
: to be, lie, or move along an edge or border
skirter
noun
Examples of skirt in a Sentence
Noun
She was wearing a short skirt.
The skirt of her coat got caught in the car door.
They put a protective skirt around the base of the machine.
Verb
The mayor skirted the issue by saying that a committee was looking into the problem.
They tried to skirt the new regulations.
He tried to skirt around the question.
Pine trees skirt the northern edge of the pond.
The road skirts around the lake.
We skirted around the edge of the city.
Recent Examples on the Web
Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Each dress featured a black tonal motif, though the Schiaparelli design included a white skirt.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2025
Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Like a romping rhino, the Supersports skirted the limits of decent behavior with an urge to charge every now and again.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for skirt
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Wear it to the office with a blouse, dark wash wide-leg jeans, and kitten heels, or style it with a midi skirt and ankle booties for date night.
—Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Each dress featured a black tonal motif, though the Schiaparelli design included a white skirt.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
As a result, many civil servants are wary of serving baijiu at government functions; others are skirting the rule by disguising the clear liquor as water.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Like a romping rhino, the Supersports skirted the limits of decent behavior with an urge to charge every now and again.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for skirt
Cite this Entry
“Skirt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skirt. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
skirt
1 of 2 noun1
a
: a free-hanging part of a garment extending from the waist down
b
: a separate free-hanging garment usually worn by women and girls covering the body from the waist down
c
: either of two flaps on a saddle covering the bars on which the stirrups are hung
2
plural
: outskirts
3
: a part or attachment serving as a rim, border, or edging
skirt
2 of 2 verb1
a
: to go or pass around or about
especially
: to go around or keep away from in order to avoid danger or discovery
b
: to escape or miss by a narrow margin
2
: to be, lie, or move along an edge, border, or margin
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