Skill
/skɪl/noun
The ability to do something well, especially through training or practice.
Did you know?English skill comes from Old Norse skill, meaning 'distinction' or 'knowledge,' and it’s related to a root behind words for dividing and discerning—not magic, but the power to tell one thing from another.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*skel-
“to cut, split, separate”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*skilą
“distinction, discernment; reason”
Old Norse
ON
skil
“distinction, understanding; knowledge”
Middle English
ME
skille
“reason, understanding, knowledge”
Modern English
English
skill
“practical ability or expertise”
Explore more surprising origins