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skimp

/ˈskɪmp/verb, adjective, noun

skimp is spelled S-K-I-M-P: 5 letters and one syllable. It appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 51,738th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, skimp means “To mock, deride, scorn, scold, make fun of” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).

How many letters and syllables are in skimp?

Letters5: S-K-I-M-P
Syllables1
In writingabout once in every 3 million words; the 51,738th most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searchednone measured in search

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How common is skimp?

Skimp appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 51,738th most frequent word form in the list.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce skimp?

  • /ˈskɪmp/
  • /ˈskɘmp/

Skimp has one syllable.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-au-skimp.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

Forms of skimp

  • skimps present, singular, he/she/it, plural
  • skimping participle, present
  • skimped participle, past
  • more skimp comparative
  • most skimp superlative

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does skimp mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

verb

  1. 1

    ScotlandTo mock, deride, scorn, scold, make fun of.

    I thought Adie was only skimpin' me.

  2. 2

    To slight; to do carelessly; to scamp.

  3. 3

    To make insufficient allowance for; to scant; to scrimp.

  4. 4

    To save; to be parsimonious or stingy.

noun

  1. 1

    A skimpy or insubstantial thing, especially a piece of clothing.

  2. 2

    colloquialUnderwear.

adjective

  1. 1

    UKUScolloquialdatedScanty.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Skimp in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
Germannachlässig erledigen, schludern (to slight; to do carelessly; to scamp), knausern (to make insufficient allowance for; to scant…), knapp halten (to save; to be parsimonious or stingy)
Frenchlésiner (to make insufficient allowance for; to scant…)
Spanishescatimar, racanear, mezquinar, tacañear, cicatear, pichicatear (to save; to be parsimonious or stingy)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

Where does skimp come from?

Perhaps of North Germanic origin, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *skimpijaną (“to skip, dance, gesture, mock”). Cognate with Icelandic skimpa (“to scoff at, scorn”), dialectal Swedish skimpa (“to skip, dance”), Faroese skumpa (“to shove, bump”), German schimpfen (“to grumble, scold”), Dutch schimpen (“to mock, make fun of, scold”). Possibly distantly related to change.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What to look up after skimp