peel

1 of 4

verb

ˈpēl 

peeled; peeling; peels

transitive verb

1

: to strip off an outer layer of

peel an orange

2

: to remove by stripping

peel the label off the can

intransitive verb

1

a

: to come off in sheets or scales

The paint is peeling.

b

: to lose an outer layer (as of skin)

His face is peeling.

2

: to take off one's clothes

it got hotter … you had to peel to get relief

—L. M. Uris

3

: to break away from a group or formation

—often used with off

Like corals, the branches of sponges can peel off and reestablish themselves as new colonies. Natural History

peelable

ˈpē-lə-bəl 

adjective

peel

2 of 4

noun (1)

1

: the skin or rind of a fruit or vegetable

banana/lemon/potato peels

2

: a thin layer of organic material that is embedded in a film of collodion and stripped from the surface of an object (such as a plant fossil) for microscopic study

3

: chemical peel

peel

3 of 4

noun (2)

: a usually long-handled spade-shaped instrument that is used chiefly by bakers for getting something (such as bread or pies) into or out of the oven

peel

4 of 4

noun (3)

: a medieval small massive fortified tower along the Scottish-English border

called also peel tower

Synonyms

Verb

• bark
• flay
• hull
• husk
• shell
• shuck
• skin

Examples of peel in a Sentence

Verb

They peeled back the sheet to display the new sculpture.

She got sunburned and her back is peeling.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Don’t try to multitask and rapidly soap up the colander between peeling potatoes. —Genevieve Ko, New York Times, 20 Nov. 2023

Inside, the paint is peeling, the books in the community library are worn, and the proclamations from the state Assembly and City Council honoring the church and its influence are decades old. —Paloma Esquivel, Los Angeles Times, 15 Nov. 2023

But when Hibiscus peeled back the petals and revealed their identity, McCarthy’s original guess of The Real Housewives of New York City alum Countess Luann, 58, appeared. —Dana Rose Falcone, Peoplemag, 9 Nov. 2023

By peeling back the green bulb at the base of each carnation’s flower, each bloom will appear more fluffed up and fuller, making any arrangement look more professional. —Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Nov. 2023

Let potatoes stand until cool to touch (about 20 minutes); peel and mash with a potato masher. —Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 8 Nov. 2023

The resulting compositions play off each other chromatically and spatially: A Slinky mimics the curving neck of a stalk of wild garlic, while a fringed purple tulip’s peeling petals evoke the undone wrapper of a grape lollipop. —Chloe Malle, Vogue, 8 Nov. 2023

So the hunt is on for the tallest, straightest, knot-free conifers, which are peeled, dried and pressure-treated at facilities such as Koppers Holdings’ KOP 2.25%increase; green up pointing triangle pole plant in southeastern Georgia’s pinelands. —Ryan Dezember, WSJ, 9 Nov. 2023

But once Samuel Alito and his fellow travelers peeled the box open, the world got a good long stare at the dead cat inside. —Jason Linkins, The New Republic, 4 Nov. 2023

Noun

Spice 94 is an aromatic blend of all spice and cardamom with a more bitter profile while Grove 42 incorporates Mediterranean orange, lemon peel, lemongrass and ginger for a citrus taste that has a dry finish. —Brande Victorian, Essence, 6 Nov. 2023

The gel cleanser is formulated with citrus peel, mulberry leaf, mountain yam, and chestnut shell to nourish and soften skin, all while washing away makeup. —Sarah Han, Allure, 26 Oct. 2023

When the banana is soft, split it down the middle and sprinkle with chocolate chips or sauce and scoop straight out of the peel with a spoon. —Nicole Harris, Parents, 25 Oct. 2023

Add stock and potatoes: Add lemon peel strips, stock, and potatoes. —Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 15 Sep. 2023

For this medieval-meets-downtown super-clown, theatre was first a banana peel, then a manhole. —Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 9 Nov. 2023

Take the peels and cores of all your apples and throw them in a pot with a few oranges and fall spices. —People Staff, Peoplemag, 6 Nov. 2023

Rotten Fruit Put those overripe bananas to good use by placing the peel and pieces of the banana in a container, and again sealing the top with a funnel or plastic wrap. —Emma Phelps, Southern Living, 24 Sep. 2023

But Friday’s announcement that Baltimore would establish its own, larger-scale facility for transforming eggshells, coffee grounds and fruit peels into a useful agricultural product is seen as a big step forward for the local composting scene. —Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 18 Sep. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun (1)

Middle English pelen, from Anglo-French peler, from Latin pilare to remove the hair from, from pilus hair

Noun (2)

Middle English pele, from Anglo-French, from Latin pala

Noun (3)

Middle English (Scots) pel, from Middle English, stockade, stake, from Anglo-French, stake, from Latin palus — more at pole

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1726, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing peel

• peel off
• orange peel
• chemical peel
• slip on a banana skin/peel
• peel out

• peel off
• orange peel
• chemical peel
• slip on a banana skin/peel
• peel out

Kids Definition

peel

1 of 2 verb

ˈpē(ə)l 

1

: to strip off an outer layer of

peel an apple

2

: to strip or tear off

peeled off their coats

3

a

: to come off in strips or patches

the paint is peeling

b

: to lose an outer layer (as of skin)

your face is peeling

peeler noun

peel

2 of 2 noun

: an outer covering and especially the skin or rind of a fruit

Medical Definition

peel

1 of 2 transitive verb

ˈpēl 

1

: to strip off an outer layer of

2

: to remove (as skin or a blemish) by stripping

intransitive verb

1

: to come off in sheets or scales

sunburned skin peels

2

: to lose an outer layer (as of skin)

his face is peeling

peel

2 of 2 noun

: chemical peel

Geographical Definition

Peel

geographical name

ˈpēl 

river 425 miles (684 kilometers) long in northwestern Canada rising in western Yukon (territory) and flowing east and north into the Mackenzie River

Biographical Definition

Peel

biographical name

ˈpēl 

Sir Robert 1788–1850 English statesman