skin

SKIN/skɪn/

Pluralskins (some meanings)

25 meanings of skin

1
body coveringnoununcountable
The soft outer layer that covers the body of a person or animal.
Like a coat that keeps the inside of your body safe.
The sun can burn your skin if you stay outside too long.
Babies usually have very soft skin.
UsageSay dry skin or pale skin, usually without a.
2
fruit peelnoununcountable
The thin outer layer that covers a fruit or vegetable.
Like the wrapper around a piece of candy.
She peeled the skin off the apple before eating it.
Grape skin can taste a little bitter.
UsageApples and tomatoes have skin; oranges usually have peel.
Similarpeel
3
animal hidenouncountable
The outer covering taken from an animal, with or without fur, used to make clothes or other things.
Like a leather jacket, but still showing the animal's fur.
The hunter sold the bear's skin to a trader.
They made a soft rug from the skin of a sheep.
UsageSay a wolf skin or beaver skins.
Similarhide, pelt
4
nouncountable
A custom look you can put on a computer program or on a character in a video game.
Like a costume you put on a doll to change how it looks.
She unlocked a new skin for her favorite character.
That rare skin makes the soldier look like a pirate.
Note
5
nouncountable or uncountable
The outside covering of something built, like a plane, ship, or building.
Like the smooth shell that covers the outside of a toy plane.
The plane's metal skin was dented by hail.
Engineers checked the skin of the aircraft for cracks.
Similarcasing, covering, shell, sheathing
Note

Less common meanings

6
strip the hideverbtransitive
To cut or pull the skin off an animal, a fruit, or a vegetable, or sometimes a person.
Like peeling the wrapper off something.
The hunter skinned the rabbit before cooking it.
You should skin the fish carefully.
UsagePeople say there's more than one way to skin a cat: there are many ways to do it.
Similarflay, flense
7
film on liquidnouncountable
The thin layer that forms on top of milk or paint as it cools or dries.
Like the soft top that forms on a cup of warm milk.
A skin formed on top of the hot chocolate as it cooled.
He scraped the skin off the warm pudding.
UsageA skin forms on hot milk.
Similarfilm
8
scrapeverbtransitive
To hurt the outer layer of part of your body by scraping it.
Like scraping the paint off something by rubbing it too hard.
He skinned his knee when he fell off his bike.
Be careful not to skin your elbow on the wall.
Similarscrape, graze, chafe, bark, excoriate
9
bare fleshnounslangcountable or uncountable
Bare human flesh shown with little or no clothing on.
The movie had too much skin for a family audience.
Those magazines are full of skin.
UsageOften show some skin. It can sound disrespectful.
Similarflesh, nudity
10
verbtransitive
To cover with skin or a thin layer, or to become covered like this, as a healing wound does.
Like frost covering a window with a thin white layer.
After a few days, the cut began to skin over.
Ice began to skin the pond overnight.
Similarcoat, cover, clad, sheathe
Note
11
change program lookverbcolloquialtransitive
To change the way a computer program looks by adding a special design pack.
Like putting a new cover on your phone to change how it looks.
He skinned the music player to match his desktop colors.
You can skin the app to give it a dark theme.
Similarcustomize, theme, restyle
12
fellownounslangBritishIrelandcountable or uncountable
A person, usually a man.
Like calling someone 'a guy' or 'a fellow.'
He's a good skin, always ready to help out.
Don't worry about Pat, he's a good skin.
UsageOften a good skin: a kind person.
Similarfellow, chap, guy, bloke, sort
Note
13
shaved headnounslangcountableabbreviationclipping
Short form of skinhead. Use it as a casual word for a skinhead.
He dressed like a skin, with suspenders and a shaved head.
Several skins turned up to the concert in heavy boots.
UsageCalling someone a skin does not always mean they are racist. Some skinheads strongly oppose racism.
Note
14
rolling papernounslangcountable
A thin paper used to roll a cigarette by hand.
Like a thin wrapper you fold around tobacco.
He asked if anyone had a spare skin.
She bought a pack of skins at the corner store.
UsageIn careful writing, say rolling paper.
15
bag for liquidsnouncountable or uncountable
A bag made from animal hide, used to carry water or wine.
Like a soft leather bottle for carrying drinks.
The travelers filled a skin with water before crossing the desert.
She passed the skin of milk around the campfire.
UsageSay a skin of water or wine.
Note
16
dribble pastverbUKtransitive
To get past a defender in a game by using clever moves.
Like slipping past someone who is trying to block your way.
The winger skinned the defender and crossed the ball.
She can skin two players before she even looks up.
UsageYou skin a player, not the ball.
Similarbeat, elude, evade, outmaneuver
Note
17
climb on skisverbabbreviation
Short for skin up: to climb using skis or a splitboard with climbing skins, or to push a bike uphill.
They skin to the summit before dawn to catch fresh snow.
We decided to skin rather than take the lift.
18
kinship groupnounAustraliacountable or uncountable
A group within an Australian Aboriginal community that sets how people are related and who they can marry.
Like being born into a group that decides who your relatives are.
Each child is born into a skin that links them to other relatives.
In her Aboriginal community, her skin decides whom she may marry.
Note
19
cheat of moneyverbdatedtransitive
To take all of someone's money by cheating them.
Like a cheat who takes all your money in a card game.
The con men skinned him out of his savings.
They tried to skin every newcomer at the card table.
UsageSay someone was skinned of their money.
Similarfleece, swindle, cheat, rook, con
Note
20
verbarchaicUS
To cheat in a test by copying or using hidden notes.
21
nounobsoleteUKcountable or uncountable
A small bag for carrying money.
Note
22
verbobsoleteintransitive
To leave quietly and quickly so no one notices.
23
verbcolloquial
To slap someone's open hand in greeting or to celebrate.
24
noun
The outer part of a rolled-up sail that wraps around and covers the rest.
25
nounobsolete
A hot drink made with whisky.

Practice

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Origin

It came through Middle English from Old Norse skinn, meaning 'animal hide'. Long ago it partly replaced the older English word 'hide'.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Skin came through Middle English from Old Norse skinn. en.wiktionary.org
Old Norse skinn meant 'animal hide'. en.wiktionary.org
Skin partly replaced the older English word hide. en.wiktionary.org