skiffy

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Low-quality science fiction.

Register: derogatory, humorous, slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

The science fiction reader sneers at fake SF, artificially produced film tie-in novels and stories, most SF films, most TV SF. This he calls sci-fi (or "skiffy")—junk no right-thinking omnivore or chronic should read, watch, or support.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “skiffy” mean?

Low-quality science fiction.

Is “skiffy” formal or informal?

skiffy is generally derogatory, humorous, slang.