noun / verb

skin

SKIN/skɪn/

The outer covering of a body or object.

She gently lifts a small fold of skin on her forearm.

A close view of a woman's bare forearm and hand, with her other hand gently lifting a small fold of healthy skin to make the body's flexible outer covering visible.

Etymology

The ancestor meant an animal's hide or fur. English first used the word for animal hide, usually dressed and tanned, then extended it to the covering of a living body.

In context

Dr Dray5:24

try to not scratch because as you scratch that is going to elicit more wheeling in fact if you have hives you may notice that if you scratch the skin

10 TIPS TO GET RID OF HIVES | Dermatologist @DrDrayzday

More examples

These potatoes have thin skins that you can leave on.
The airplane's aluminum skin shows no signs of damage.
I skin the peaches before slicing them for pie.

Forms

skin · skins · skinned · skinning

skinless adjective — Having no skin or outer covering.

Similar words

hide: Usually refers to animal skin, especially when used for leather.
peel: Refers specifically to the outer covering of fruits or vegetables.
covering: A broader term that also includes separately applied protective layers.