Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of seabird: A gull-like bird that flies close to the water's surface with its elongated lower mandible immersed to catch food.
   • A type of hat: A stiff, flat-crowned hat made of straw.
   • A kitchen utensil: A shallow, perforated spoon or ladle used to remove fat, foam, or solids from the surface of liquids.
   • A type of reader: A person who reads quickly and superficially.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Seabird):
  • We saw a skimmer gliding over the waves, its lower beak cutting through the water.
• Noun (Hat):
  • He wore a straw skimmer to the summer garden party.
• Noun (Utensil):
  • Use a skimmer to remove the fat from the top of the soup.
• Noun (Reader):
  • As a skimmer, he often missed important details in the reports.

Advanced Usage

• "Skimmer" in technology (informal): A device illegally used to capture data, such as from a credit card's magnetic strip.
  • Thieves installed a skimmer on the ATM to steal card information.

Variants and Related Words

• Skim (verb): To move quickly and lightly over a surface, or to read something quickly to grasp the main ideas.
  • The swallows skimmed the lake's surface.
  • I only had time to skim the article.

Synonyms

• For the bird: Scissor-bill (a common name for some skimmer species).
• For the hat: Boater, sailor hat.
• For the utensil: Strainer, slotted spoon.
• For the reader: Scanner, superficial reader.

Related Phrases

• Credit card skimmer: The aforementioned illegal data-capturing device.
  • Always check for a credit card skimmer before using an ATM.

Noun

1. gull-like seabird that flies along the surface of the water with an elongated lower mandible immersed to skim out food
2. a stiff hat made of straw with a flat crown
3. a cooking utensil used to skim fat from the surface of liquids
4. a rapid superficial reader