any of numerous lizards of the family Scincidae, common in many regions of the Old and New World, typically having flat, smooth, overlapping scales and comprising terrestrial, arboreal, and fossorial species.
Origin of skink
1
1580–90; < Latinscincus < Greekskínkos lizard
skink
2
[skingk]
verb (used with object)Scot.Dialect.
to serve (a beverage).
Origin of skink
2
1350–1400;Middle Englishskynken < Middle Dutchschenken, schinken; cognate with Old Englishscencan,Germanschenken
any lizard of the family Scincidae, commonest in tropical Africa and Asia, having reduced limbs and an elongated body covered with smooth scalesRelated adjective: scincoid
Word Origin for skink
C16: from Latin scincus a lizard, from Greek skinkos
1580s, from Middle French scinc (Modern French scinque), from Latin scincus, from Greek skinkos, some kind of lizard common in Asia and North Africa, of unknown origin.
