ski
UK[skiː]US[skiː]
n
One of a pair of long, flat, narrow pieces of wood, plastic, or metal that curve up at the front and are fastened to boots for moving over snow.
v
To move over snow on skis.
Etymology
The word 'ski' entered English in the mid-18th century from Norwegian, where it originally meant a 'stick of wood' or a 'snowshoe'. The Norwegian term derives from Old Norse 'skíð', which meant a 'stick of wood', a 'ski', or a 'splinter'. This Old Norse word can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic root 'skīd-', meaning 'to divide' or 'to split', referencing the wooden planks split from a log. The semantic journey from a general 'split piece of wood' to the specific modern equipment for gliding over snow reflects the object's primary material and its evolution into a specialized tool for Nordic travel and sport.
Analysis
The word 'ski' is a simplex loanword from Norwegian. It functions as a single, unanalyzable morpheme in modern English.
Examples
She bought a new pair of skis for her trip to the Alps.
We plan to ski down the advanced slope tomorrow morning.
He learned to ski when he was just five years old.