skeeter
A mosquito, the kind that finds you on the porch at dusk.
Also called skeeters.
Updated September 24, 2026
skeeter pronunciation
/SKEE-ter/
Meaning
Skeeter is the everyday redneck word for a mosquito. You hear it wherever damp air, tall grass, and a still evening line up. Folks complain about skeeter bites the way other people complain about traffic. Same bug, just said the country way.
How folks use it
- “Them skeeters ate me alive down by the creek.”
- “Slap on some spray or the skeeters'll carry you off.”
Origin and etymology
American English shortening of mosquito, recorded by the late 1830s. The ending follows a rural Southern pattern that turns unstressed -o into -er, same family as tater and yeller. Dictionaries still mark it chiefly Southern U.S., and it stays thick in Appalachian and Deep South talk.
Frequently asked questions
Is skeeter only a Southern word?
It shows up elsewhere, but it is strongest in Southern and rural speech. Up north you are more likely to hear mosquito straight.