Do people actually use the word "skort"?

I think a lot of people need to understand that some things happen outside their orbit. Skorts are very popular in some places, and not in others.

Yes. Some school and sports uniforms include skorts, and so that is what they are called. My daughters' primary school and lacrosse team have skorts. But skirts with a pair of undershorts are often referred to as a "skirt with undershorts". Skorts usually are constructed in a particular way with pleats and/or a front flap so that they are a pair of shorts that looks like a skirt, due to the way they hang.

I know it and have used it, but definitely used it more in the nineties and early 2000s. I’m not sure if that’s because I was a child and wore them, or because they were more popular then.

For that particular garment, yes. It's not a very common garment, though.

Yeah, I've definitely come across that.

Yes. A skirt with built in shorts underneath.

I’d say that it’s about as common as any super specific clothing term. Not everyone will know it, but anyone who is likely to wear one will know.

Yes, definitely. All the people who are saying they’ve never heard of it probably weren’t/don’t have young girls. They’re very common articles of clothing for toddlers because you combine the style of a skirt with the functionality of shorts.

Yes. It's not super common, but I think skorts are (a)typical "active wear" for women's sports - the first I can think of is tennis. I believe school children will also wear them if they have a uniform requirement to wear a skirt, but that's become less common, at least in the US. 

Not really. Maybe as a joke? Sporks were a thing for a while, too, never hear that anymore either.

Never heard of it

I've heard it used in the context of womens' sports in Ireland.

Yes, but context matters. In the context of women’s sporting apparel, it’s very common. But day-to-day life? Don’t think I’ve ever heard it.

As a native speaker, I have never heard that word before

Yes! I own multiple skorts for playing tennis and netball.

A better question would be "Do people know what a *skort* is"? People who know might use the word; people who don't know what a *skort* is don't use the word, and won't have the need to. I've never used the word. That is no doubt related to my never having seen one. I live in the UK, and have never seen anyone wear one, or one for sale in a shop, or being advertised anywhere. Unless I had reason otherwise, I'd assume that *skort* is a mis-typing or odd pronunciation of *skirt*. I think that the same would be true of everyone I know.

Yeah, in fairly specific contexts

Yes. My daughter went to private school and had the option to wear a skort instead of a skirt. The word "skort" appeared in the dress code.

I've heard it used like twice in my life. As a kid I remember a classmate accidentally "flashing" me, and I was like "oh, you have shorts under. I thought there would be underwear." and she was like "um yeah, it's a skort.  It's so I can do this and you can't see anything." and showed me the shorts underneath. An interesting memory for 2nd grade me lol.  The other time I saw it was in our highschool dress code saying they were permitted but had to have the skirt part still reach the knees despite the shorts. 

I pretty much exclusively wore skorts growing up. I find they’re harder to get your hands on these days, hoping they make a comeback as they not only help with flashing but also with thigh chafing

I've never heard it in my life, but the fact you're asking the question means, yes, people do use it. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here asking the question, because the word wouldn't exist.

I used it in an email just last week. Enquiring about school uniform. Annoyingly, skirts or shorts were fine, but not skorts.

There's been a lot of talk about skorts recently [in Ireland](https://www.rte.ie/sport/camogie/2025/0519/1513727-skorts-v-shorts-vote-all-you-need-to-know/)!

I don't think I've heard this term before, but it mostly makes sense.

Culottes was the term when I was younger. Or divided skirt. It's a fairly new coinage, but the fashion industry has spread it.

I would use the word for shorts that look like skirts

Yes, that’s what the item of clothing is called.

My daughter used to wear skorts when she was small, so I used the word then, but she doesn’t wear them anymore so I haven’t used it in several years. It’s not a very popular type of garment.

Yes. Skorts used to be more popular than they are now, which is why you don't hear it as much anymore. But they're still relatively common in little girls' clothes. And that's the word you use to refer to them.

Yes, especially as sports clothing, apart from being used in sports settings, I don't think many people actually wear skorts

Yep my eight year old just said it yesterday cuz she was wearing one.

Yes. And we say "spork". And "turkducken". English is fun that way.

I think it’s common but I was surprised to learn my boyfriend didn’t know this word (both native speakers). It’s one of those words that’s more common among women or people who care about fashion.

Yeah, English has a bunch of those kind of combined words. Jorts, spork, tons more.

I mean. Yes. If they're talking about skorts. The thing is this isn't really a common garment anymore. They were popular in the 90s and early 2000s and I haven't seen one since. So people don't talk about them much

Yes.

Yes, and they’re much more common than a lot of people commenting realize.

I usually won't describe my outfit as "a skort and tee shirt", I would say "a skirt and tee shirt", since they look like skirts. But then if someone compliments it, I tend to go "thanks, it's a skort!" in the same way I'd mention pockets. So, I use it but not often. I've never had to explain the term, but my phone doesn't recognize the spelling, lol. NE US, for geographical context.

In parts of Northeast England, that would approximate the sound that speakers with strong accents make when pronouncing “skirt”, so would be understood simply as a “skirt”.

Only when I’m talking about a skort Otherwise, I don’t

Yep. My kids are girls - skorts were part of secondary school uniform for PE

My wife just said skort yesterday

Yes.

Yes

I have never heard of that before.

Yes, absolutely! My almost 5yo niece wears skorts a lot in summer. I remember hearing the word as early as maybe 1990/1991.

Yes, but I haven't seen a skort since the 90s.

That’s what they are. ?

Yes, when discussing a skort.

I live in the U.S. and my kids wear a uniform to school. One of the items allowed in the dress code is skorts. As a kid when I wore a uniform I also wore skorts or jumpers, but as an adult I do not wear either.

Ive never heard of this word before lol

I would say the exact opposite: imo lots of people wear them, but they don’t call them “skorts”

Sure! My mom loves them!

Yah, if it is a skort, we call it a skort. What else would we call it?

Hi!

Yes!

What does it mean? I'm Spanish, I've got Cambridge First Certificate but I never heard that word

No, I imagine people wouldn't understand what you meant until you explained it. And since you're a NNES, they would assume it was a mistake.

Yeah we do