An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

1. The external protective membrane or covering of an animal’s body, or that surrounding the flesh of a fruit or vegetable.
   

2. The outer protective covering of a structure. → skin effect.

Etymology (EN): M.E., from O.N. skinn “animal hide;” cf. O.H.G. scinten, Ger. schinden “to flay, skin;” Ger. dialect schind “skin of a fruit,” Flemish schinde “bark;” from PIE *sken- “to cut off.”

Etymology (PE): Pust “skin;” Mid.Pers. pôst “skin;” O.Pers. pavastā- “thin clay envelope used to protect unbaked clay tablets;” Av. pastô-, in pastô.fraθanhəm “of the breadth of the skin;” Skt. pavásta- “cover,” Proto-Indo-Iranian *pauastā- “cloth.”