Skin Is the Body's Largest Organ
Skin is the outer covering of the body. It replaces itself entirely about every month.
Skin is the outer covering of an animal body, and by extension any thin outer layer. It is an organ, and the largest one: roughly two square metres in an adult, weighing several kilograms. The outermost layer renews itself completely about every four weeks, shedding cells continuously — a large share of household dust is shed human skin. The word replaced Old English *hyde* for the living covering; *hide* survives for the removed skin of an animal, from Old Norse *skinn*.
- The body covering. *Dry skin.*
- A fruit peel. *Banana skin.*
- A surface layer. *A skin on the paint.*
- To remove skin. *Skinning a rabbit.*
- Old Norse — *skinn*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | skin | Skin. |
| Verb | skin | Skinning. |
| Adjective | skinny | Skinny. |
| Related | hide | A hide. |
| Old Norse | skinn | Skin. |
- The skin healed quickly.Body.
- A skin formed on the milk.Surface.
- It renews about monthly.Biology.
The layers of skin
- Epidermis — the outer barrier, renewed about every four weeks
- Dermis — contains blood vessels, nerves and hair follicles
- Hypodermis — fatty layer beneath, insulating and cushioning
- Melanin in the epidermis absorbs ultraviolet light
- Roughly two square metres in an adult
Old Norse *skinn*, an animal hide, which displaced Old English *hyde* for living skin.
Is skin really an organ?
Yes, and the largest one, covering about two square metres in an adult.
How often does skin renew?
The outer layer replaces itself roughly every four weeks, shedding cells continuously.