desquamate

verb

des·​qua·​mate ˈde-skwə-ˌmāt How to pronounce desquamate (audio)
desquamated; desquamating

intransitive verb

: to peel off in scales
desquamation noun

Word History

Etymology

Latin desquamatus, past participle of desquamare to scale, from de- + squama scale

First Known Use

1828, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of desquamate was in 1828

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Cite this Entry

“Desquamate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desquamate. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

Medical Definition

desquamate

intransitive verb
des·​qua·​mate ˈdes-kwə-ˌmāt How to pronounce desquamate (audio)
desquamated; desquamating
: to peel off in the form of scales : scale off
desquamated epithelial cells
desquamation noun
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