Main Entry: exo·skel·e·ton

Pronunciation: \ˌek-sō-ˈskel-ət-^ən\

Function: noun

1 : an external supportive covering of an animal (as the system of sclerites covering the body of an insect)—compare endoskeleton
2 : bony or horny parts (as nails, hooves, or scales) of a vertebrate produced from epidermal tissues

—exo·skel·e·tal \-ət-^əl\ adjective