leathery

American  

[leth-uh-ree] / ˈlɛð ə ri /

adjective

1. like leather in appearance or texture; tough and flexible.

---

leathery British  

/ ˈlɛðərɪ /

adjective

1. having the appearance or texture of leather, esp in toughness

---

Other Word Forms

• leatheriness noun

Etymology

Origin of leathery

First recorded in 1545–55; leather + -y ¹

Example Sentences

Swell sharks depend on kelp to lay their leathery eggs, making them vulnerable to kelp forest loss.

From BBC

First, one must peel back its leathery skin, which, when ripe, is a beautiful shade of pinkish-red, sometimes with faint streaks of gold or light green.

From Salon

“I haven’t had to alter my body in that way,” says Strong, who underwent a doctor-supervised “starvation diet” and a regimen of tanning booth visits and biweekly spray tans to match Cohn’s notoriously leathery look.

From Los Angeles Times

The sun's rays also dry out skin, making it coarse and leathery.

From BBC

Some still have hair, leathery skin and their original clothing.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• rugged
• wrinkled