Plain English Meaning

Knowing how to actually do something, not just knowing facts about it. It is the kind of knowing that lives in your hands and reactions, built up by doing the task many times under guidance.

Full Definition

The understanding a learner builds about how to perform a physical or procedural task, gained through guided practice and repetition until the actions become smooth, accurate, and increasingly automatic.

Context Anchor

Used in instructor training when discussing how student pilots learn flight tasks, cockpit procedures, and aircraft handling.

Derivation

Skill comes from the Old Norse 'skil', meaning a distinction or ability to tell things apart, which grew into the modern sense of practical ability gained through training. Pairing it with knowledge highlights that this is not just facts in the head but capability shown in action.