Standard Lemma guide

desquamate

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To remove the scales from, to scale; (less narrowly) to peel.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To come off in the form of scales, to scale.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

peel off in scales

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • dry skin desquamates

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: peel off

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: shed, molt, exuviate, moult, slough

History

Etymology

First attested in 1740; borrowed from Latin dēsquāmātus, perfect passive participle of dēsquāmō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from dē- (“off”) + squāma (“a scale”) + -ō (“verb-forming suffix”).