scute

noun

ˈsküt How to pronounce scute (audio)
ˈskyüt
: an external bony or horny plate or large scale

Examples of scute in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Stomach contents reveal a regular diet of cephalopods, but some also include sharks, fish, turtles, ichthyosaurs, other marine reptiles, and even dinosaur dermal scutes. — Jeanne Timmons, Ars Technica, 23 Mar. 2023 Turtle shells are covered by scutes, plates made of keratin, the same material in fingernails. — Celia Ford, WIRED, 30 Aug. 2023

Word History

Etymology

New Latin scutum, from Latin, shield — more at esquire

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of scute was in 1848

Rhymes for scute

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Browse Nearby Words

scutcher
scute
scutel
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Cite this Entry

“Scute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scute. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.

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