skink

¹ American  

[skingk] / skɪŋk /

noun

1. 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.

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skink ² American  

[skingk] / skɪŋk /

verb (used with object)

Scot. Dialect.

1. to serve (a beverage).

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skink British  

/ skɪŋk /

noun

1. any lizard of the family Scincidae, commonest in tropical Africa and Asia, having reduced limbs and an elongated body covered with smooth scales

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Etymology

Origin of skink¹

1580–90; < Latin scincus < Greek skínkos lizard

Origin of skink²

1350–1400; Middle English skynken < Middle Dutch schenken, schinken; cognate with Old English scencan, German schenken

Example Sentences

I loved that dish and I also love my Cullen Skink dish on Restaurant Wars.

From Salon • Jun. 8, 2023

Carl Hiaasen’s teen debut, Skink: No Surrender, takes on the madcap but emotionally vigorous story of a teen runaway, with an emphasis on environmental activism.

From The Guardian • Sep. 15, 2014

The hero of Hiaasen’s new novel is called Skink.

From The Guardian • Jun. 2, 2014

Skink takes a predictable shine to Ann, who predictably becomes the book’s true heroine.

From New York Times • Jul. 20, 2010

Skink, thou'rt betray'd, that Master Fauconbridge, Missing some of his chain has got thee dogg'd.

From A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 7 by Various