skim

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /skɪm/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like scheme /ɪ/ vs /iː/

Freq #22014

Meanings

1

verb
to read something quickly to get the main ideas without studying the details

I skimmed the article over breakfast to get the main points.
2

verb
to remove something, especially fat or cream, from the surface of a liquid

Skim the cream from the top of the milk before you use it.
3

verb
to move quickly and lightly just above or across a surface

The birds skimmed low over the surface of the water.
4

adj
(of milk) having had the cream removed

She prefers her coffee with skim milk.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Multiword verbs with skim

skim off Phrasal verb B2

to remove a substance from the surface of a liquid
skim over Prepositional verb B2

to read something quickly without examining every detail

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 verb · to remove something,... creamcream offskim off

4 adj · (of milk) having had the... skimmed

Word family

Forms skimmedskimmingskims

Derived forms cream-skimoverskimreskimsemi-skimmedskim-coatskim-readskimboardskimboardingskimmabilityskimmableskimmerskimmy

Appears in

Phrases (5)

See all

skim milk
milk from which the cream has been removed

Adjective + noun
skim off
to remove a substance from the surface of a liquid

Verb + adverb
skim over
to read something quickly without examining every detail

Verb + preposition/particle
skimmed off
removed material floating on top of a liquid

Verb + adverb
skimmed over
moved quickly and lightly across the surface of something

Verb + preposition/particle

Etymology

From Middle English skemen, skymen, variants of scumen, from Old French escumer (“to remove scum”), from escume (“froth, foam”), from Frankish *skūm (“froth, foam”), from Proto-Germanic *skūmaz (“foam”), from Proto-Indo-European *skew- (“to cover, conceal”). See scum.

skemen Middle English escumer Old French *skūm frk *skūmaz Proto-Germanic *skew- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# skim

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb, adj
**IPA (US):** /skɪm/
**Frequency rank:** 22014

## Meanings
1. to read something quickly to get the main ideas without studying the details
2. to remove something, especially fat or cream, from the surface of a liquid
3. to move quickly and lightly just above or across a surface
4. (of milk) having had the cream removed

## Examples
- I skimmed the article over breakfast to get the main points.
- Skim the cream from the top of the milk before you use it.
- The birds skimmed low over the surface of the water.
- She prefers her coffee with skim milk.

## Derived Forms
- cream-skim
- overskim
- reskim
- semi-skimmed
- skim-coat
- skim-read
- skimboard
- skimboarding
- skimmability
- skimmable
- skimmer
- skimmy

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: skemen
- Root: escumer
- Root: *skūm
- Root: *skūmaz
- Root: *skew-

## Etymology
From Middle English skemen, skymen, variants of scumen, from Old French escumer (“to remove scum”), from escume (“froth, foam”), from Frankish *skūm (“froth, foam”), from Proto-Germanic *skūmaz (“foam”), from Proto-Indo-European *skew- (“to cover, conceal”). See scum.

## AI Etymology
Skim is from Middle English skemen, skymen, variants of scumen, from Old French escumer (“to remove scum”), from escume (“froth, foam”), from Frankish *skūm (“froth, foam”), from Proto-Germanic *skūmaz (“foam”), from Proto-Indo-European *skew- (“to cover, conceal”). See scum. Important forms in the word's history include Middle English skemen, Old French escumer, frk *skūm, Proto-Germanic *skūmaz, Proto-Indo-European *skew-. In current use it includes senses such as to read something quickly to get the main ideas without studying the details and to remove something, especially fat or cream, from the surface of a liquid.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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