noun / verb
husk
HUSK/hʌsk/
A dry outer covering of a seed or fruit, or removing this covering.
The dry husk is peeled back from the ear of corn.
Etymology
Husk already meant the dry outer skin of fruits and seeds in Middle English. Its origin is unknown, though a proposed connection with “little house” would picture the covering as a case enclosing the seed or fruit.
In context
… if you've ever seen a fresh coconut you know that it comes in a large fibrous husk so it's also a droop …
More examples
- We husk the corn before cooking it.
- Dry husks pile up beside the basket.
- The seeds remain protected inside their husks.
Forms
husk · husks · husked · husking