skin diving

American  

noun

1. an underwater sport in which the swimmer, equipped with a lightweight mask, foot fins, and either a snorkel or a portable air cylinder and breathing device, can move about quickly and easily underwater, as for exploring or spear fishing.

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skin diving British  

noun

1. the sport or activity of diving and underwater swimming without wearing a diver's costume

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Other Word Forms

• skin-diver noun

Etymology

Origin of skin diving

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

The next two monsters — each, more than two feet long — required 40 minutes of skin diving.

From New York Times • Dec. 16, 2019

Competitive spearfishing is done either with scuba gear and air tanks or by free diving, also called skin diving.

From Washington Times • Jul. 28, 2018

The Princess, once known as Shy Di, has been transformed into "Dynasty Di"; and Prince Charles, once dubbed Action Man for his intrepid sky- and skin diving, has become a hermetic, mystical crank.

From Time Magazine Archive

Under the supervision of Ivan Alexander, Magnolia's exploration chief, four full-fledged geologists and two technicians practiced skin diving until they could pass the Navy's test for frogmen.

From Time Magazine Archive

He found Ollie one day while skin diving off the coast of Greece.

From "Crash" by Jerry Spinelli