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skin

n. · v.
US //ˈskɪn// UK //skˈɪn// skin
  1. 1 body covering (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    the natural outer layer that covers the body of a person or animal.

    the thin layer of tissue forming the natural outer covering of the body of a person or animal.

    Example

    You should wear sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun.

    Example

    The dermatologist explained that the skin is the body's largest organ and requires consistent hydration to maintain its protective barrier.
  2. 2 fruit/vegetable covering (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Cooking

    the outer layer of a fruit or vegetable.

    the peel or outer integument of a fruit, vegetable, or seed.

    Example

    I usually eat apples with the skin on because it has many vitamins.

    Example

    The recipe specifies that the potatoes should be boiled in their skins to preserve the texture before mashing.
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  1. 3 animal hide (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    the skin of an animal that has been removed to be used for clothing or leather.

    the hide or pelt of an animal, especially when removed from the body for use as a material.

    Example

    In the past, people used animal skins to stay warm during the winter.

    Example

    The indigenous hunters traditionally used every part of the caribou, including the skins for clothing and tent covers.
  2. 4 software/game appearance (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Computing

    a set of graphics that changes how a computer program or video game character looks.

    a customised graphical user interface (GUI) or character model texture that alters the visual appearance without changing functionality.

    Example

    He bought a new skin for his character in the game to make it look like a robot.

    Example

    The media player allows users to download various skins to match their desktop aesthetic.
  3. 5 outer surface of a vehicle (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Aviation

    the outer metal or plastic covering of an aircraft or ship.

    the external surface covering the framework of an aircraft's fuselage or a ship's hull.

    Example

    Engineers checked the plane's skin for any small cracks before the flight.

    Example

    The aircraft's aluminium skin must withstand extreme pressure changes and temperature fluctuations during transcontinental flights.
  4. 6 to remove the outer layer (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to take the skin off an animal or a fruit.

    to strip the skin, pelt, or peel from a biological specimen.

    Example

    The chef showed us how to skin the fish quickly with a sharp knife.

    Example

    The taxidermist carefully skinned the specimen to ensure the fur remained intact for the museum display.
  5. 7 to scrape your skin (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to hurt your skin by rubbing it against something rough.

    to abrade or graze the surface of the skin through friction.

    Example

    The little boy fell off his bike and skinned his knee on the pavement.

    Example

    She skinned her elbow against the brick wall while trying to squeeze through the narrow passage.
Origin

From Middle English skyn, skinn, from Old English scinn, from Old Norse skinn (“animal hide”), from Proto-Germanic skinþą, from Proto-Indo-European sken- (“to split off”), nasal variant of *skeh₁i-d- (“to cut”). Partially displaced native Old English hȳd (“skin, hide”), from which derives hide. Cognate with Dutch schinde (“bark”), dialectal German Schinde (“fruit peel”); also Breton skant (“scales”), Old Irish cenn (“covering, shell”), Irish scáin (“to tear, burst”), Latin scindō (“to split, divide”), Sanskrit छिनत्ति (chinátti, “to split”).

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