Advertisement

exoskeleton (n.)

in zoology, "any hardened external structure," as the shells of crustaceans or the scales and plates of fishes and reptiles, especially when it is of the nature of bone, 1841, from exo- + skeleton. Said to have been introduced by English anatomist Richard Owen. Related: Exoskeletal.

Entries related to exoskeleton

exo- 

word-forming element in words of Greek origin meaning "outer, outside, outer part," used from mid-19c. in scientific words (such as exoskeleton), from Greek exō (adv.) "outside," related to ex (prep.) "out of" (see ex-).

skeleton (n.)
1570s, from Modern Latin sceleton "bones, bony framework of the body," from Greek skeleton soma "dried-up body, mummy, skeleton," from neuter of skeletos "dried-up" (also, as a noun, "dried body, mummy"), from skellein "dry up, make dry, parch," from PIE root *skele- "to parch, wither" (see sclero-).

Skelton was an early variant form. The noun use of Greek skeletos passed into Late Latin (sceletus), hence French squelette and rare English skelet (1560s), Spanish esqueleto, Italian scheletro. The meaning "bare outline" is first recorded c. 1600; hence skeleton crew (1778), skeleton key, etc. Phrase skeleton in the closet "source of secret shame to a person or family" is from 1812 (the image is perhaps from the Bluebeard fable).

Others are reading

Advertisement
Advertisement
Definitions of exoskeleton

exoskeleton (n.)
the exterior protective or supporting structure or shell of many animals (especially invertebrates) including bony or horny parts such as nails or scales or hoofs;
From wordnet.princeton.edu

Dictionary entries near exoskeleton

exorbitance

exorbitant

exorcise

exorcism

exorcist

exoskeleton

exoteric

exothermic

exotic

exoticism

expand

© 2001-2021 Douglas Harper