The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Skittles \Skit"tles\, n. pl. [Of Scand. origin. [root]159. See Shoot, v. t., and cf. Shuttle, Skit, v. t.] An English game resembling ninepins, but played by throwing wooden disks, instead of rolling balls, at the pins. [1913 Webster]WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
skittles n 1: a bowling game that is played by rolling a bowling ball down a bowling alley at a target of nine wooden pins [syn: ninepins, skittles]