skyhook

American

[skahy-hook] / ˈskaɪˌhʊk /

noun

a fanciful hook imagined to be suspended in the air.
any of various lifting devices, as one hung from a helicopter, designed to lift heavy loads to distances beyond the reach of a jib crane.
a high, arching hook shot in basketball.

Etymology

Origin of skyhook

First recorded in 1910–15; sky + hook ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

There was the raised fist that was once a signal for Magic to pass to Kareem for a skyhook.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 22, 2026

His skyhook offloads and change of pace have added another dimension to Saracens' game this season as the Premiership leaders show more ambition and adventure with ball in hand.

From BBC • Dec. 9, 2022

The master of the skyhook remains the leading scorer in NBA history.

From Fox News • Dec. 16, 2021

An exhibit on moves features the crossover dribble, the skyhook and now the Eurostep.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 2, 2020

About the only theory left to check was that the object might have been one of the big, 100-foot-diameter, "skyhook" balloons.

From The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects by Ruppelt, Edward J.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023