What does skittish mean?
Word: Skittish
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Skittish means quick to become excited and restless, like a young horse that shies at small sounds.
Synonyms: excitable
How do you spell skittish?
Syllables: skit - tish
Tricky part: The t is doubled in the middle, and pupils often write only one.
Watch out for: skitish, skittishe, scittish
Memory tip: Two t's stand side by side like two ears pricked up on a nervous pony.
Skittish in a sentence
Example 1: The skittish pony danced sideways when the gate clanged.
Example 2: Riya's skittish mood before the recital had everyone smiling.
Example 3: A skittish squirrel darted up the neem tree as we walked past.
Fun Fact
Financial reporters have borrowed this word from the stable: a skittish market is one where prices jump at each new piece of news.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Three words in the list are spelt correctly and one is misspelt. Choose the meaning of the misspelt word.
1. equestrian 2. skiddish 3. thoroughbred 4. paddock
a) liable to bolt at the slightest noise
b) a horse of pure breed
c) connected with horse riding
d) a small field for horses
Show answer
a) liable to bolt at the slightest noise. A d has slipped in where the proper letter belongs; equestrian, thoroughbred and paddock are spelt correctly.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
sk_tt_sh
a) i, i
b) i, e
c) a, i
d) e, i
Show answer
a) i, i. Both gaps carry the short vowel of sit, and the ending is the one in foolish.
Mingle-Mangle
Rearrange the jumbled letters in the sentence to form a word:
The khiitsst foal would not let anyone near it for a whole week.
a) stylish
b) skittish
c) sheepish
d) sluggish
Show answer
b) skittish. Two t's and a k are the giveaway in this jumble.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word skittish as used in the sentence:
The skittish mare calmed down once her stable lad began to hum to her.
a) flighty
b) placid
c) jumpy
d) edgy
Show answer
b) placid. Jumpy, edgy and flighty match the horse's behaviour; placid describes an animal that stays calm.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A riding instructor tells beginners that a pony is skittish. What should they do?
a) feed it twice as much as usual
b) ride it without using a saddle
c) move slowly and avoid sudden noises
d) give it a longer run straight away
Show answer
c) move slowly and avoid sudden noises
2. What would make a visitor describe a kitten as skittish?
a) darting away at the rustle of a bag
b) purring steadily on a lap by the fire
c) sleeping all day on a warm cushion
d) eating slowly from a bowl of milk
Show answer
a) darting away at the rustle of a bag
