Skitter
/ˈskɪt.ər/noun
To move quickly with short, light, rapid steps or motions.
Did you know?Skitter is likely a frequentative formation related to Scandinavian and English words for “scatter”/“scuttle,” capturing repeated, jittery movement rather than a single clean step.
Etymological Timeline
Late Middle English
English
skittren
“to move lightly and quickly; to dart or scamper”
Early Modern English
English
skitter
“to move or run with short, quick steps”
Modern English
English
skitter
“to move rapidly and lightly, often in an irregular way”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*skut- / *skit-
“to shoot, dart, or move swiftly”
Old Norse
ON
skjóta
“to shoot, throw, or dart”
Old English
English
sceotan
“to shoot, cast, or move swiftly”