water ski

[waw-ter skee, wot-er]

noun

plural

water skis ,

plural

water ski .

1. a short, broad ski designed to plane over water.

water-ski

noun

1. a type of ski used for planing or gliding over water

verb

1. (intr) to ride over water on a water-ski or water-skis while holding a rope towed by a speedboat

Other Word Forms

• water-skiing noun
• water-skier noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of water-ski¹

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Tim Boyd of the Olympia Yacht Club remembers water-ski tournaments, mini-hydroplane races and a swimming beach when he moved to the area in the early 1980s.

From Seattle Times

Sonny Bono, the singer-turned-congressman from California's 44th district, who used to water-ski at the lake as a youth, began advocating for the lake in Washington D.C., while the Secretary of the Interior simultaneously started to lay the groundwork for a coordinated, multi-agency scientific effort.

From Salon

Although teaching a squirrel to water-ski may seem like an impossible undertaking, the Bests, who ran a skating rink at the time, had some experience in this area: They had previously taught a chimpanzee to roller-skate and a poodle to surf.

From Slate

Chuck and Lou Ann also trained other animals to water-ski, two miniature horses, two French poodles, a black cat, an armadillo and a toad.

From Slate

The Cavazos family is now once again in limbo, wondering what will happen to the land where cattle roam and visitors pay to water-ski or boat in the Rio Grande.

From New York Times