skin

American  

[skin] / skɪn /

noun

• skins
  plural

1. the external covering or integument of an animal body, especially when soft and flexible.

2. such an integument stripped from the body of an animal, especially a small animal; pelt.

   a beaver skin.

   Synonyms:

   fur

3. the tanned or treated pelt or hide of an animal, especially when used in apparel and accessories; leather (usually used in combination).

   pigskin;

   calfskin.

4. a container made of animal skin, used for holding liquids, especially wine.

5. any integumentary covering, casing, outer coating, or surface layer, as an investing membrane, the rind or peel of fruit, or a film on liquid.

   a skin of thin ice;

   the aluminum skin of an airplane.

   Synonyms:

   crust, husk, shell, hull

6. Computers.

   1. a graphical user interface that changes the appearance of a program, app, or website without changing its underlying functioning.

      It’s still the same old program, but the new skin lets you move all the tools around, so the navigation is better for most people.

   2. an audio or art file in a video game that changes the appearance or sound of an item or a character without changing its underlying functioning, strength, job class, or other specifications.

      The game is free to play, but I’ve spent a lot on skins so my character can look this badass.

7. Jewelry.

   1. the outermost layer of a pearl.

   2. the outermost layer of a diamond as found: often different in color and refraction from the inner part of the stone.

8. Metallurgy. an outer layer of a metal piece having characteristics differing from those of the interior.

9. Nautical.

   1. the shell or ceiling of a hull.

   2. the outer, exposed part of a furled sail.

10. Rocketry. the outer surface of a missile or rocket.

11. Slang. a condom.

12. Slang. skins, drums.

13. Slang. a swindler; cheat.

14. Slang. a skinflint.

15. Slang. a horse.

16. Slang. a dollar bill.

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verb (used with object)

• skins,
  present (3rd person singular)
• skinned,
  past participle,  past
• skinning
  present participle

1. to strip or deprive of skin; flay; peel; husk.

2. to remove or strip off (any covering, outer coating, surface layer, etc.).

3. to scrape or rub a small piece of skin from (one's hand, leg, etc.), as in falling or sliding against something.

   She skinned her knee.

4. to urge on, drive, or whip (a draft animal, as a mule or ox).

5. to climb or jump.

   He skinned the rope to the top of the wall.

6. to cover with or as if with skin.

7. Slang. to strip of money or belongings; fleece, as in gambling.

8. Cards. to slide cards one at a time off the top of (the pack) in dealing.

9. Slang. to defeat completely.

   skinned at the polls.

10. Slang. to castigate; reprimand.

    skinned for his disobedience.

verb (used without object)

• skins,
  present (3rd person singular)
• skinned,
  past participle,  past
• skinning
  present participle

1. Slang. to slip off or depart hurriedly (often followed byout ).

adjective

1. 1. Slang. showing or featuring nude persons, often in a sexually explicit way.

      a skin magazine.

   2. presenting films, stage shows, exhibitions, etc., that feature nude persons, especially in a sexually explicit way.

      a Times Square skin house.

idioms

1. get under one's skin,

   1. to irritate; bother.

      His laugh really gets under my skin.

   2. to affect deeply; impress; penetrate.

      That sort of music always gets under my skin.

2. save one's skin, to avoid harm, especially to escape death.

   They betrayed their country to save their skins.

3. skin alive,

   1. to reprimand; scold.

   2. to subdue completely, especially in a cruel or ruthless manner.

      The home team was skinned alive this afternoon.

4. by the skin of one's teeth, by an extremely narrow margin; just barely; scarcely.

   We made the last train by the skin of our teeth.

5. have a thin skin, to be extremely sensitive to criticism or rebuffs; be easily offended.

   Be careful what you say to me, I have a thin skin.

6. in / with a whole skin, without harm; unscathed; safely.

   She escaped from the burning building with a whole skin.

7. no skin off one's back / nose / teeth, of no interest or concern or involving no risk to one.

8. have a thick skin, to be insensitive to criticism or rebuffs.

   The complaint desk is a job for someone who has a thick skin.

9. under the skin, in essence; fundamentally; despite appearances or differences.

   sisters under the skin.

skin British  

/ skɪn /

noun

1. 1. the tissue forming the outer covering of the vertebrate body: it consists of two layers (the dermis and epidermis), the outermost of which may be covered with hair, scales, feathers, etc. It is mainly protective and sensory in function

   2. ( as modifier ) See also dermis epidermis

      a skin disease

2. a person's complexion

   a fair skin

3. any similar covering in a plant or lower animal

4. any coating or film, such as one that forms on the surface of a liquid

5. unsplit leather made from the outer covering of various mammals, reptiles, etc Compare hide 2

6. the outer covering of a fur-bearing animal, dressed and finished with the hair on

7. a container made from animal skin

8. the outer covering surface of a vessel, rocket, etc

9. a person's skin regarded as his life

   to save one's skin

10. informal (often plural) (in jazz or pop use) a drum

11. informal short for skinhead

12. slang a cigarette paper used for rolling a cannabis cigarette

13. slang a person; sort

    he's a good old skin

14. by a narrow margin; only just

15. informal to irritate one

16. to be very startled

17. informal not a matter that affects one adversely

18. extremely thin

19. an insensitive nature

20. a sensitive nature

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verb

1. (tr) to remove the outer covering from (fruit, etc)

2. (tr) to scrape a small piece of skin from (a part of oneself) in falling, etc

   he skinned his knee

3. (often foll by over) to cover (something) with skin or a skinlike substance or (of something) to become covered in this way

4. slang (tr) to strip of money; swindle

adjective

1. relating to or for the skin

   skin cream

2. slang involving or depicting nudity

   skin magazines

skin Scientific  

/ skĭn /

1. The outer covering of a vertebrate animal, consisting of two layers of cells, a thick inner layer (the dermis) and a thin outer layer (the epidermis). Structures such as hair, scales, or feathers are contained in the skin, as are fat cells, sweat glands, and sensory receptors. Skin provides a protective barrier against disease-causing microorganisms and against the sun's ultraviolet rays. In warm-blooded animals, it aids in temperature regulation, as by insulating against the cold.

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skin Cultural  

1. The external tissue that covers the body. As the body's largest organ (it makes up about one twenty-fifth of an adult's weight), the skin serves as a waterproof covering that helps keep out pathogens and protects against temperature extremes and sunlight. The skin also contains special nerve endings that respond to touch, pressure, heat, and cold. The skin has an outer layer, or epidermis, and a layer immediately below, called the dermis.

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skin More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing skin

• beauty is only skin deep
• by the skin of one's teeth
• get under someone's skin
• jump out of one's skin
• make one's flesh creep (skin crawl)
• more than one way to skin a cat
• no skin off one's nose
• save one's bacon (skin)
• soaked to the skin
• thick skin

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Synonym Usage

Skin, hide, pelt are names for the outer covering of animals, including humans. Skin is the general word: an abrasion of the skin; the skin of a muskrat. Hide applies to the skin of large animals, as cattle, horses, or elephants: a buffalo hide. Pelt applies to the untanned skin of smaller animals: a mink pelt.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• underskin
  noun
• skinless
  adjective
• skinlike
  adjective
• unskinned
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• skins
  plural

Participles

• skinning
  present
• skinned
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• skin
  simple
• skins
  simple
• have skinned
  perfect
• has skinned
  perfect
• am skinning
  progressive
• are skinning
  progressive
• is skinning
  progressive
• have been skinning
  perfect progressive
• has been skinning
  perfect progressive

Past

• skinned
  simple
• had skinned
  perfect
• was skinning
  progressive
• were skinning
  progressive
• had been skinning
  perfect progressive

Future

• will skin
  simple
• will have skinned
  perfect
• will be skinning
  progressive
• will have been skinning
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of skin

First recorded in 1050–1100; Middle English noun skin, skin(n)e, Old English scinn, from Old Norse skinn “skin, fur”; cognate with dialectal German Schinde “rind, skin of fruit”; the verb was derived from the noun

Explanation

Our bodies are covered with skin, a layer of tissue that's also humans' largest organ. When you are sick and have a fever, your skin feels warm. Skin is something we have in common with other vertebrates. The peels of some fruits and vegetables are sometimes called skin too. As a verb, skin means to remove a peel or skin, or to scrape your skin: "If you skateboard in shorts, you're going to skin your knee." If you do something "by the skin of your teeth," you just barely manage it. Skin comes from the Old Norse word skinn, "animal hide."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

skin skins skinned skinning

A few days later, I received a follow-up text to say there were no abnormal skin changes that required treatment.

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

Inspections of the fuselage skin will be required, the FAA said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

Having been locked away before the internet became our collective second skin, they didn’t understand that, online, a reckless moment looks like a permanent identity.

From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026

Dermal armor refers to hard, bony plates embedded within the skin.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 5, 2026

One of the common symptoms of HD is pale or slightly red areas on the skin that have lost feeling, or loss of feeling on the hands or feet.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

The skins contain natural oils, and garments not kept in a temperature-controlled environment -- ideally off-season in cold vaults -- can dry out and disintegrate.

From Barron's ● Apr. 24, 2026

One prominent enthusiast had 40,000 skins, almost certainly preserved with arsenic.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 23, 2026

To be taken seriously, a birdman needed a large collection of taxidermied birds, skins and eggs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 23, 2026

Once they reach the top of the course, they remove the skins, and ski downhill to the finish line.

From BBC ● Feb. 18, 2026

Barnum's "mermaid" is a total fake, a counterfeit fossil pasted together from bones, withered skins, and who knows what else.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman

With the help of neighbors, he skinned it, securing enough meat for the entire settlement for several days.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 9, 2026

His family wrote in a tribute: "Our beautiful soft skinned, beautiful long eye lashed boy with a cheeky charming infectious smile that touched everyone's hearts left this dimension early this morning in my arms."

From BBC ● Feb. 19, 2026

It was her husband returning from the day's hunt, a large plastic bag in hand containing a skinned seal.

From Barron's ● Feb. 6, 2026

A magnificent hummus, silky from skinned chickpeas, can stand alone in its glory.

From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2025

That is surely childhood’s end, when you look at a thing like a rabbit needing skinned and have to say: “Nobody else is going to do this.”

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

I don’t actually know what a Nappa is, but clearly Genesis is skinning the good kind.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 6, 2026

Recurring themes are everywhere - Daizen Maeda skinning James Tavernier, Kyogo Furuhashi outfoxing Rangers defenders at one end and Cameron Carter-Vickers bringing authority at the other.

From BBC ● Dec. 14, 2024

I decided to relisten to the audiobook recently because my friend June Leaf reminded me about the skinning part.

From New York Times ● May 16, 2024

That suggests use as a trophy or lion-skin rug, rather than a simple byproduct of skinning the animal for food.

From Science Magazine ● Oct. 11, 2023

We’re similarly liable to pick up diseases from wild animals, such as the tularemia that hunters can get from skinning wild rabbits.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• bark
• coating
• crust
• fur
• husk
• jacket
• membrane
• rind
• sheath
• surface