often attributive
1
a(1)
: the integument of an animal (such as a fur-bearing mammal or a bird) separated from the body usually with its hair or feathers
(2)
: a usually unmounted specimen of a vertebrate (as in a museum)
b
: the hide or pelt of a game or domestic animal
c(1)
: the pelt of an animal prepared for use as a trimming or in a garment compare hide entry 2
(2)
: a sheet of parchment or vellum made from a hide
(3)
2
a
: the external limiting tissue layer of an animal body
especially
: the 2-layered covering of a vertebrate body consisting of an outer epidermis and an inner dermis
b
: an outer covering (such as a rind or husk) of a fruit or seed
c
: a membranous film or scum (as on boiling milk or drying paint)
3
: the life or physical well-being of a person
saved his own skin
4
: a sheathing or casing forming the outside surface of a structure (such as a ship or airplane)
skinned; skinning
1
a
: to strip, scrape, or rub off an outer covering (such as the skin or rind) of
b
: to strip or peel off
c
: to cut, chip, or damage the surface of
fell and skinned my knee
2
a
: to cover with or as if with skin
b
: to heal over with skin
4
: to urge on and direct the course of (a draft animal)
1
: to become covered with or as if with skin
2
a
: shinny
b
: to pass or get by with scant room to spare
: devoted to showing nudes
skin magazines
Synonyms
Examples of skin in a Sentence
Noun
the rough skin of a shark
Choose makeup that matches your skin tone.
These snakes shed their skins once a year.
Native Americans had many uses for animal skins.
His boots are made of alligator skin.
Potato skin is very nutritious.
Verb
The hunter skinned the rabbit and prepared it for cooking.
I skinned my knee when I fell.
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Recent Examples on the Web
Samantha MacAvoy, Women's Health, 9 Sep. 2023
For bloodstream infection: fever, chills, low blood pressure, and blistering skin lesions.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 8 Sep. 2023
Compression offers a ton of benefits, but can lose its value (and irritate your skin) when overdone.
—John Thompson, Men's Health, 8 Sep. 2023
Scoop potato flesh from skins into a food processor; discard skins.
—Torie Cox, Country Living, 8 Sep. 2023
That album, Equal Strain on All Parts, due Nov. 3, was completed shortly before his death of skin cancer at 76 on Sept. 1.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2023
Onion skins — a technique that allows animators to see several frames at once — can be activated while painting and animating and provides options for customizing frames with different colors, opacity, and more.
—Jess Weatherbed, The Verge, 8 Sep. 2023
The basic difference between the refugees in our story and those who are crossing Ukraine’s borders today is simple: the color of their skin.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 29 Aug. 2023
For the beauty newbies, exfoliation is a skincare technique that involves removing dead cells from the top layer of your skin.
—Andi Breitowich, Women's Health, 29 Aug. 2023
K.c. Colwell, Car and Driver, 31 Aug. 2023
The Super Peptide Booster is a lightweight serum that smooths and firms skin with a cocktail of ingredients that includes firming orchard stem cells and hydrating peony root extract.
—Angela Trakoshis, Allure, 11 July 2023
Meanwhile, touching the plant without any protection can result in redness and sometimes skin irritation.
—Noor Adatia, Dallas News, 3 June 2023
Bowie knives are multi-purpose knives, and they can be used for everything from a knife fight to skinning a rabbit.
—Jace Bauserman, Field & Stream, 19 July 2023
Boning Knife Long and thin blade that provides flexibility while working in the kitchen Filet, skinning fish, poultry, etc. Utility Knife Versatile blade that is an all-around agile knife, made for petite foods Prep citrus, chop vegetables, cut sandwiches, etc.
—Marissa Wu, Southern Living, 26 June 2023
Larger knives, on the other hand, are best for skinning in one long swipe.
—goodhousekeeping.com, 28 Apr. 2023
Increasingly disconnected from the outside world, the island’s people became more self-reliant to survive: knitting their own clothes, skinning animals for moccasins, hunting and fishing and growing their own food.
—Sasha Chapman, Discover Magazine, 20 Apr. 2023
Skin Mounting For decades, skin mounting was the most popular method of preserving a catch.
—Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 10 Apr. 2023
Arthur St. Antoine, Car and Driver, 25 Nov. 2020
Then there are the shocking statistics around breast cancer, which affects one in every eight women and is the most common non-skin cancer affecting women.
—Maria Aspan, Fortune, 30 June 2020
My colleague Emily Schultz went a few months after me and had a funky, skin contact wine.
—Alex Beggs, Bon Appétit, 24 June 2019
The main issue with temperature drops is skin dehydration or lack of water, says ZENii Skincare founder, GP, and cosmetic doctor Johanna Ward.
—refinery29.com, 21 Mar. 2018
The all-in-one formula gently removes makeup, cleanses face, and leaves skin feeling soft—with no need to even rinse.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 11 July 2017
Using spatula and a pair of tongs, carefully turn each fillet so skin side is up.
—Claire Saffitz, Bon Appetit, 30 Oct. 2017
Sun Protection F.A.B.'s Skin Tint offers SPF 30, and Glossier's Perfecting Skin Tint has none.
—Sable Yong, Allure, 18 July 2017
Skin imperfections are revealed to have names—papules, pustules, milia, cysts—and to respond to certain treatments.
—Jamie Lauren Keiles, The New Yorker, 6 June 2017
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Noun
Start the chicken skin side down in a skillet to let the fat render slowly, resulting in crispy skin without the need for extra oil.
—Samantha MacAvoy, Women's Health, 9 Sep. 2023
For bloodstream infection: fever, chills, low blood pressure, and blistering skin lesions.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 8 Sep. 2023
Compression offers a ton of benefits, but can lose its value (and irritate your skin) when overdone.
—John Thompson, Men's Health, 8 Sep. 2023
Scoop potato flesh from skins into a food processor; discard skins.
—Torie Cox, Country Living, 8 Sep. 2023
That album, Equal Strain on All Parts, due Nov. 3, was completed shortly before his death of skin cancer at 76 on Sept. 1.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2023
Onion skins — a technique that allows animators to see several frames at once — can be activated while painting and animating and provides options for customizing frames with different colors, opacity, and more.
—Jess Weatherbed, The Verge, 8 Sep. 2023
The basic difference between the refugees in our story and those who are crossing Ukraine’s borders today is simple: the color of their skin.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 29 Aug. 2023
For the beauty newbies, exfoliation is a skincare technique that involves removing dead cells from the top layer of your skin.
—Andi Breitowich, Women's Health, 29 Aug. 2023
Verb
The carbon-fiber door skins necessitate actual door handles, not the pop-up flaps on a regular 911.
—K.c. Colwell, Car and Driver, 31 Aug. 2023
The Super Peptide Booster is a lightweight serum that smooths and firms skin with a cocktail of ingredients that includes firming orchard stem cells and hydrating peony root extract.
—Angela Trakoshis, Allure, 11 July 2023
Meanwhile, touching the plant without any protection can result in redness and sometimes skin irritation.
—Noor Adatia, Dallas News, 3 June 2023
Bowie knives are multi-purpose knives, and they can be used for everything from a knife fight to skinning a rabbit.
—Jace Bauserman, Field & Stream, 19 July 2023
Boning Knife Long and thin blade that provides flexibility while working in the kitchen Filet, skinning fish, poultry, etc. Utility Knife Versatile blade that is an all-around agile knife, made for petite foods Prep citrus, chop vegetables, cut sandwiches, etc.
—Marissa Wu, Southern Living, 26 June 2023
Larger knives, on the other hand, are best for skinning in one long swipe.
—goodhousekeeping.com, 28 Apr. 2023
Increasingly disconnected from the outside world, the island’s people became more self-reliant to survive: knitting their own clothes, skinning animals for moccasins, hunting and fishing and growing their own food.
—Sasha Chapman, Discover Magazine, 20 Apr. 2023
Skin Mounting For decades, skin mounting was the most popular method of preserving a catch.
—Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 10 Apr. 2023
Adjective
Most of the sub-skin hardware comes from Fiat and English Ford parts bins.
—Arthur St. Antoine, Car and Driver, 25 Nov. 2020
Then there are the shocking statistics around breast cancer, which affects one in every eight women and is the most common non-skin cancer affecting women.
—Maria Aspan, Fortune, 30 June 2020
My colleague Emily Schultz went a few months after me and had a funky, skin contact wine.
—Alex Beggs, Bon Appétit, 24 June 2019
The main issue with temperature drops is skin dehydration or lack of water, says ZENii Skincare founder, GP, and cosmetic doctor Johanna Ward.
—refinery29.com, 21 Mar. 2018
The all-in-one formula gently removes makeup, cleanses face, and leaves skin feeling soft—with no need to even rinse.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 11 July 2017
Using spatula and a pair of tongs, carefully turn each fillet so skin side is up.
—Claire Saffitz, Bon Appetit, 30 Oct. 2017
Sun Protection F.A.B.'s Skin Tint offers SPF 30, and Glossier's Perfecting Skin Tint has none.
—Sable Yong, Allure, 18 July 2017
Skin imperfections are revealed to have names—papules, pustules, milia, cysts—and to respond to certain treatments.
—Jamie Lauren Keiles, The New Yorker, 6 June 2017
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'skin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Old Norse skinn; akin to Old English scinn skin, Middle High German schint fruit peel
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a
Adjective
1933, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of skin was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing skin
Articles Related to skin
Video
When Body Parts Are Also Verbs
Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes
Dictionary Entries Near skin
Cite this Entry
“Skin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skin. Accessed 23 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
skin
1 of 2 noun1
b
: a sheet of parchment or fine-grained leather made from a hide
2
a
: the usually tough and flexible outer layer of an animal body that in vertebrates is made up of two layers including an inner dermis and an outer epidermis
b
: an outer covering or surface layer
a sausage skin
apple skins
3
: the life or physical well-being of a person
made sure to save his skin
skinned
adjective
ˈskind
skin
2 of 2 verb
skinned; skinning
1
: to strip, scrape, or rub off the skin of
skin an animal
skinned my knee
2
: to cover or become covered with or as if with skin
4
a
: to climb up or down
skin up and down a rope
b
: to pass or get by with little room to spare
Medical Definition
skin
1 of 2 noun
: the 2-layered covering of the body consisting of an outer ectodermal epidermis that is more or less cornified and penetrated by the openings of sweat and sebaceous glands and an inner mesodermal dermis that is composed largely of connective tissue and is richly supplied with blood vessels and nerves
skin
2 of 2 transitive verb
skinned; skinning
: to cut or scrape the skin of
fell and skinned his knee
More from Merriam-Webster on skin
Nglish: Translation of skin for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of skin for Arabic Speakers
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