husk

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noun \ ˈhəsk \

Definition of husk

1 a :a usually dry or membranous outer covering (such as a pod or one composed of bracts) of various seeds and fruits (such as barley and corn) :hull; also :one of the constituent parts

b :a carob pod

2 a :an outer layer :shell

b :an emptied shell :remnant

c :a supporting framework

See husk defined for English-language learners

See husk defined for kids

Examples of husk in a Sentence

a high stone wall is the husk that protects the actor from prying curiosity seekers

Recent Examples of husk from the Web

But more than perhaps any other mob informant in the city’s history, his work with the FBI helped to expose the petty rivalries, greed, and outsize personalities that have left Philadelphia’s crime family a hollow husk of its former self.

— jeremy roebuck, Philly.com, "Ron Previte, wiseguy informant who brought down Philly mob bosses, dead at 73," 29 Aug. 2017
Pull the husks from the tomatillos and rinse to remove sticky residue.

— daniel neman, sacbee, "Salsa has become the spice of life," 22 Aug. 2017
Pull the husks from the tomatillos and rinse to remove sticky residue.

— daniel neman, sacbee, "Salsa has become the spice of life," 22 Aug. 2017
Pull the husks from the tomatillos and rinse to remove sticky residue.

— daniel neman, charlotteobserver, "Salsa has become the spice of life," 15 Aug. 2017
Dr. Vincent McGinn, a psychologist used to solving human, not produce problems, peered at a stalk of corn and slowly pulled the husk back.

— michelle matthews, AL.com, "Teachers board bus to welcome students back to Alabama elementary school," 9 Aug. 2017
But those sometimes-essential husk-busting traps require too many annoying-to-find materials.

— sam machkovech, Ars Technica, "Fortnite poisons a potentially great game with agonizing F2P limits," 8 Aug. 2017
Some demonstrations that will be held include showing how wool and fabric were dyed for troop uniforms, medical procedures as they were performed in the battlefield and crafts such as making corn husk dolls.

— Aurora Beacon-News, "Civil War Days designed to 'go beyond the battles'," 4 Aug. 2017
Blend the husks until they're completely chopped up.

— joey morona, cleveland.com, "ESPY Awards 2017: Predicting the winners," 12 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'husk.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of husk

Middle English

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First Known Use: 14th century

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husk Synonyms

Synonyms

armor, capsule, casing, cocoon, cover, covering, encasement, housing, hull, ¹case, jacket, pod, sheath, shell

Related Words

cartridge, cassette (also casette); bark, crust; carapace, house, mail, panoply, plate, plating, shield; cuticle, hide, skin; envelope, package, wrapper; backing, coating, coverture, facing

husk

verb

Definition of husk

transitive verb

:to strip the husk from

—

husker

noun

See husk defined for English-language learners

Examples of husk in a Sentence

the tedious task of husking coconuts

Recent Examples of husk from the Web

Place 1/2 pound husked and rinsed tomatillos 2 plump unpeeled garlic cloves and 1 halved (lengthwise) jalapeno on sheet.

— gretchen mckay, sacbee.com, "New cookbook ‘Onions Etcetera’ elevates the humble vegetable," 9 May 2017
Fresh Corn with Zucchini Confetti 3 to 4 large ears fresh corn, husked2 small (3 to 4 oz. each) zucchini 4 to 6 tbsp.

— elle decor staff, ELLE Decor, "Sunday Lunch Recipes," 4 Oct. 2007

First Known Use of husk

1562

husk Synonyms

Synonyms

bark, flay, hull, peel, shell, shuck, skin

Related Words

bare, denude, expose, scale, strip; pare

HUSK Defined for English Language Learners

husk

play

noun

Definition of husk for English Language Learners

: a usually thin, dry layer that covers some seeds and fruits

husk

verb

Definition of husk for English Language Learners

: to remove the thin, dry layer that covers some seeds and fruits : to remove the husk from (something)

HUSK Defined for Kids

husk

play

noun \ ˈhəsk \

Definition of husk for Students

:the outer covering of a fruit or seed

husk

verb

Definition of husk for Students

husked; husking

:to remove the outer covering from (a fruit or seed)

husk corn

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husker

noun

Medical Dictionary

husk

play

noun \ ˈhəsk \

medical Definition of husk

:hoose

an outbreak of husk was observed in a flock of 200 sheep
—Veterinary Bulletin

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See words that rhyme with husk Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for husk Spanish Central: Translation of husk Nglish: Translation of husk for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of husk for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about husk

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husk

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husk

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husk

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