skimmer

noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"skimmer" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“skimmer” is uncommon English (frequency #57,076 among 54,294 “S” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#57,076
frequency rank, English
54,294
“S” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A device that skims.

Key facts for skimmer
PropertyValue
Headwordskimmer
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters7
Frequency rank#57,076
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “skimmer” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). skimmer lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

skimmer is uncommon English at frequency #57,076 among 54,294 “S” headwords, classed as anoun. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 13 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for skimmer in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From skim + -er. The correct English form is skimmer, spelled S-K-I-M-M-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A device that skims.
  2. 2
    A device that skims.
  3. 3
    A device that skims.
  4. 4
    A person who skims.
  5. 5
    Any of three species of bird, in the genus Rynchops of the family Laridae, that feed by skimming the surface of water bodies with their bills in flight.
  6. 6
    Any of several large bivalve shells, sometimes used for skimming milk, such as the sea clam (Spisula solidissima) and large scallops.
  7. 7
    A ballet flat shoe.
  8. 8
    A loose-fitting one-piece dress, similar to a shift but with slightly more fitting.
  9. 9
    Any of the dragonflies in the family Libellulidae.
  10. 10
    A sailor in the surface forces, as opposed to a submariner.
  11. 11
    A surface ship.
  12. 12
    A small, fast-moving spacecraft.
  13. 13
    Synonym of water strider.

Etymology

From skim + -er.

Synonyms

scissorbill

This word in other languages

espumadera(Español)écumoire(Français)Schaumlöffel(Deutsch)escumadeira(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "skimmer"?
"skimmer" is spelled S-K-I-M-M-E-R.
What does "skimmer" mean?
As a noun, "skimmer" means: A device that skims.
What is the origin of the word "skimmer"?
From skim + -er. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “skimmer”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-K-I-M-M-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list