adj
skittish
SKIH-tihsh
adj
1
Easily frightened or startled; nervous.
"The horse grew skittish at the sound of thunder."
"Investors turned skittish after the market dropped."
2
Unpredictable or hard to control.
"Negotiations stalled because of the skittish political climate."
How to Use Skittish
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishNervous, jumpy, easily spooked — used for animals, people, and even markets.
Common pairings
skittish horse
skittish investors
grow skittish
Word Forms
more skittish comparative, most skittish superlative
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “skittish”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The horse grew _____ at the sound of thunder.
Etymology
Probably from a Northern English/Scottish word skite ("to move suddenly and lightly") plus the suffix -ish.