rind

noun

ˈrīnd 

dialectal

ˈrīn 

1

: the bark of a tree

2

: a usually hard or tough outer layer : peel, crust

rinded

ˈrīn-dəd 

adjective

Examples of rind in a Sentence

the rind of a watermelon

the rind of a cheese

Recent Examples on the Web

Both the white flesh and the green rind are prime candidates for pickling, then featuring in cocktails or lemonade, as part of a cheese bowls or boards, and incorporating into salads. —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Apr. 2026

Combine the sour cream, lemon rind, salt and pepper. —Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026

Dried beans cooked from scratch with a rind in the pot emerge with a flavor and richness that is difficult to attribute to any single element, but unmistakable in the result. —Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 24 Apr. 2026

The result is a root-to-tip, local land-and-sea-to-plate approach, which sees citrus rind transformed into sorbets, herb stalks turned into flavorful powders, and fish intestines used for garum sauce. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German rinda bark, and probably to Old English rendan to rend

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing rind

• pork rind

Rhymes for rind

• bind
• blind
• dined
• find
• fined
• grind
• hind
• kind
• lined
• mind
• mined
• pined

Kids Definition

rind

noun

ˈrīnd 

: the bark of a tree

also : a usually hard or tough outer layer (as the skin of a fruit)