often attributive
1
a(1)
: the integument of an animal (such as a fur-bearing mammal or a bird) separated from the body usually with its hair or feathers
(2)
: a usually unmounted specimen of a vertebrate (as in a museum)
b
: the hide or pelt of a game or domestic animal
c(1)
: the pelt of an animal prepared for use as a trimming or in a garment compare hide entry 2
(2)
: a sheet of parchment or vellum made from a hide
(3)
2
a
: the external limiting tissue layer of an animal body
especially
: the 2-layered covering of a vertebrate body consisting of an outer epidermis and an inner dermis
b
: an outer covering (such as a rind or husk) of a fruit or seed
c
: a membranous film or scum (as on boiling milk or drying paint)
3
: the life or physical well-being of a person
saved his own skin
4
: a sheathing or casing forming the outside surface of a structure (such as a ship or airplane)
skinned; skinning
1
a
: to strip, scrape, or rub off an outer covering (such as the skin or rind) of
b
: to strip or peel off
c
: to cut, chip, or damage the surface of
fell and skinned my knee
2
a
: to cover with or as if with skin
b
: to heal over with skin
4
: to urge on and direct the course of (a draft animal)
1
: to become covered with or as if with skin
2
a
: shinny
b
: to pass or get by with scant room to spare
: devoted to showing nudes
skin magazines
Synonyms
Examples of skin in a Sentence
Noun
the rough skin of a shark
Choose makeup that matches your skin tone.
These snakes shed their skins once a year.
Native Americans had many uses for animal skins.
His boots are made of alligator skin.
Potato skin is very nutritious.
Verb
The hunter skinned the rabbit and prepared it for cooking.
I skinned my knee when I fell.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lisa Lockwood, WWD, 21 Nov. 2024
Umbra Moona Storage Box This Umbra storage box (which comes in dark and light colorways) organizes your best friend’s beauty products, skin care serums, jewelry, or keepsakes in one streamlined tower that dresses up any shelf.
—Malia Griggs, SELF, 21 Nov. 2024
Alice Burton, Vulture, 23 Aug. 2024
But even the most experienced hikers have slipped, stumbled, and skinned a knee while trekking.
—Jen Ator, Travel + Leisure, 13 Oct. 2024
Arthur St. Antoine, Car and Driver, 25 Nov. 2020
Then there are the shocking statistics around breast cancer, which affects one in every eight women and is the most common non-skin cancer affecting women.
—Maria Aspan, Fortune, 30 June 2020
See all Example Sentences for skin 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Eventually, the 58-year-old designer would love to do beauty and skin care, and health and wellness.
—Lisa Lockwood, WWD, 21 Nov. 2024
Umbra Moona Storage Box This Umbra storage box (which comes in dark and light colorways) organizes your best friend’s beauty products, skin care serums, jewelry, or keepsakes in one streamlined tower that dresses up any shelf.
—Malia Griggs, SELF, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
The Catholic League is threatening François with skinning his brother, the cardinal, and burning him alive if François doesn’t marry Margot.
—Alice Burton, Vulture, 23 Aug. 2024
But even the most experienced hikers have slipped, stumbled, and skinned a knee while trekking.
—Jen Ator, Travel + Leisure, 13 Oct. 2024
Adjective
Most of the sub-skin hardware comes from Fiat and English Ford parts bins.
—Arthur St. Antoine, Car and Driver, 25 Nov. 2020
Then there are the shocking statistics around breast cancer, which affects one in every eight women and is the most common non-skin cancer affecting women.
—Maria Aspan, Fortune, 30 June 2020
See all Example Sentences for skin
Articles Related to skin
Video
When Body Parts Are Also Verbs
Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes
Dictionary Entries Near skin
Cite this Entry
“Skin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skin. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
skin
1 of 2 noun1
b
: a sheet of parchment or fine-grained leather made from a hide
2
a
: the usually tough and flexible outer layer of an animal body that in vertebrates is made up of two layers including an inner dermis and an outer epidermis
b
: an outer covering or surface layer
a sausage skin
apple skins
3
: the life or physical well-being of a person
made sure to save his skin
skinned
adjective
ˈskind
skin
2 of 2 verb
skinned; skinning
1
: to strip, scrape, or rub off the skin of
skin an animal
skinned my knee
2
: to cover or become covered with or as if with skin
4
a
: to climb up or down
skin up and down a rope
b
: to pass or get by with little room to spare
Medical Definition
skin
1 of 2 noun
: the 2-layered covering of the body consisting of an outer ectodermal epidermis that is more or less cornified and penetrated by the openings of sweat and sebaceous glands and an inner mesodermal dermis that is composed largely of connective tissue and is richly supplied with blood vessels and nerves
skin
2 of 2 transitive verb
skinned; skinning
: to cut or scrape the skin of
fell and skinned his knee
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