SKIN • noun: skin; plural noun: skins; modifier noun: skin.

1. The thin layer of tissue forming the natural outer covering of the body of a person or animal. “I use body lotion to keep my skin supple”. 2. The thin outer covering of a sausage. “if you are using link-sausages, prick the skins well with a fork”. 3. The outermost layer of a structure such as a building or aircraft. “the plane’s skin was ripped apart by the force of the explosion”.

Synonyms: hide, pelt, fleece; greenhide; technical crop, kip; archaic fell, film, coating, coat, layer, overlay; sheet; membrane.

Origin: Late Old English scinn, from Old Norse skinn ; related to Dutch schinden ‘flay, peel’ and German schinden.