Skiddish or Skittish: Which is Correct Spelling?

Ready for a new entry into our frequently misspelled words list that might make you nervous? Yes, it’s the “skiddish or skittish” quandary! What is the correct spelling for the word that means, “Highly nervous, and prone to running away?” Let’s find out.

First, some quick background. My name is Ms. Marshall and I’ve been an English teacher for almost twenty years now. I’m also an artist, and hand draw each and every illustration on this site — including the recent lesson on how to spell definitely. Let’s dive into today’s tutorial…

Skiddish?

In the “skiddish vs. skittish” spelling question, there’s an easy answer: “Skiddish” is an incorrect misspelling that shouldn’t be used! Toss it in the trash, along with “freind,” because it is a mere figment of the imagination and doesn’t exist in the English language.

If the spelling with a double “d” in the middle is wrong, that means that the correct way to write the word is “skittish” — with a double “t” every time. So why is this so confusing for so many people? There is a compelling reason…

Why “Skittish” is Hard to Spell

To understand the origin of why “skittish” is one of our confusing words to spell (and is often written “skiddish”), we need to define the word “skid.” As a verb, the word “to skid” means to to slip or slide, usually from going too fast on a slick surface.

Since “skittish” means easily scared to the point of running away, we can now truly see why this could be associated with “skidding” and thus spelled wrong: As I’ve illustrated in my cartoon above, sometimes when someone or something runs away to fast, they can skid! Despite that, the correct spelling is with a double “t.”

Skiddish or Skittish, Solved

The next time you receive the question: “Is the spelling skiddish or skittish?” you can confidently answer: “Skiddish doesn’t exist. The correct way to write the word is: skittish.”

Just like our “Lens or Lense” lesson, one of the options simply doesn’t exist. I hope this lesson has been useful! What would you like me to illustrate next? Do share!

Want more? Check out my lessons on the non-words, “weither,” and the ever-confusing “grateful.”