Skittish

Pronunciation: /ˈskɪtɪʃ/

Definitions of skittish

adjective easily scared or nervous; jumpy

Example Sentences

A1 The skittish kitten ran away when I tried to pet it.

A2 The skittish horse was easily startled by loud noises.

B1 The skittish dog barked nervously at strangers approaching the house.

B2 The skittish deer darted into the woods at the sound of a twig snapping.

C1 The skittish actress was known for her unpredictable behavior on set.

C2 The skittish investor quickly pulled out of the stock market at the first sign of trouble.

Examples of skittish in a Sentence

formal The skittish horse refused to approach the unfamiliar object.

informal My cat is so skittish, she always runs away from strangers.

slang I don't know why you're so skittish about trying new food, just give it a shot!

figurative The stock market investors became skittish after hearing news of a potential economic downturn.

Grammatical Forms of skittish

• past tense: skittished
• plural: skittishes
• comparative: more skittish
• superlative: most skittish
• present tense: skittish
• future tense: will be skittish
• perfect tense: have skittished
• continuous tense: is skittishing
• singular: skittish
• positive degree: skittish
• infinitive: to skittish
• gerund: skittishing
• participle: skittished

Origin and Evolution of skittish

First Known Use: 0015 year

Language of Origin: Middle English

Story behind the word: The word 'skittish' originated from Middle English 'skitish' which meant 'shy, timid, easily scared'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'skittish' has evolved to also include being easily startled or nervous, often used to describe animals or people who are jumpy or unpredictable in behavior.