Skimmer
/ˈskɪm.ər/noun
A device or person that skims; also a bird with a long lower mandible that skims the water surface.
Did you know?The word comes from the same ancient root behind ‘scum’ and ‘sky,’ a family tied to cutting, covering, and surface layers rather than hidden depth.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*(s)kei-
“to cut, split, separate”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*skimjaną
“to skim, clear off the surface”
Old English
OE
scimman / scymman
“to skim or clear from the surface”
Middle English
ME
skimmen
“to skim, remove from liquid; to move lightly over”
Modern English
English
skimmer
“one that skims; a tool, person, or bird associated with skimming”