exoskeleton
Americannoun
noun
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A hard, protective outer body covering of an animal, such as an insect, crustacean, or mollusk. The exoskeletons of insects and crustaceans are largely made of chitin.
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Compare endoskeleton
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of exoskeleton
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How does exoskeleton compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Vocabulary lists containing exoskeleton
Animals (Zoology) - Introductory
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Animals (Zoology) - Middle School
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Biology-Structure and Function - Introductory
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Plus, what it’s like to use an e-hiking exoskeleton and how ground drones are revolutionizing warfare.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 24, 2026
Like its competitors, Hypershell’s exoskeleton consists of a waist band and a pair of hinged thigh braces.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
Possible factors include increased predation from vertebrates or physical limitations of the insect exoskeleton.
From Science Daily • Apr. 25, 2026
“A legged battlefield robot or an exoskeleton suit relies on the same core technologies as a commercial humanoid, ruggedized for combat.”
From MarketWatch • Jan. 14, 2026
Everyone wanted to make a chair that looked like the exoskeleton of a giant prehistoric insect.
From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
