Definition

1. Noun:
   • The outer covering of an animal: The natural protective layer, such as hide, fur, pelt, or leather, that encloses an animal's body.

Usage

• The term "animal skin" is used to refer to the complete outer covering removed from an animal. It is a material often processed for use in clothing, shelter, tools, or decoration.
• It functions as a compound noun where "animal" acts as a modifier specifying the type of skin.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The ancient tribes used animal skins for clothing and tents.
  • Trappers would sell animal skins such as beaver and fox to traders.
  • The drum was made by stretching a treated animal skin over a wooden frame.

Advanced Usage

• "In the raw": Referring to an untreated or unprocessed animal skin.
  • The animal skin was dried in the sun but remained in the raw, not yet tanned into leather.

Variants and Related Words

• Hide: The skin of a large animal, such as a cow or horse.
  • The buffalo hide was thick and durable.
• Pelt: The skin of an animal, especially one with the fur still attached.
  • The trapper collected pelts from wild foxes.
• Leather: Animal skin that has been tanned and processed to preserve it.
  • His belt was made of genuine leather.

Synonyms

• Hide
• Pelt
• Fur (when referring specifically to the skin with a thick coat of hair)

Related Phrases

• (To be) thick-skinned: An idiom meaning to be insensitive to criticism. (Note: This is a figurative use related to the concept of skin, not directly to "animal skin").
  • As a politician, you need to be thick-skinned.

Noun

1. the outer covering of an animal