outer layer
Skin of something
The outer layer is the part of something that forms its exterior surface or covering.
Skin is the outer layer of the body; bark is the outer layer of a tree.
The phrase appears in contexts from biology to geology to cooking: Peel off the outer layer of the onion.
Figuratively, outer layers may be stripped away to reveal what lies beneath.
- skinBody's outer layer
- dead skinDiscarded epidermal cells
- shellHard outer covering
- crustHard outer layer
- pie crustBaked outer layer
surface · coating · protective coating · bark · rind · orange peel · peel · banana peel · husk · membrane · veneer · sheath · epidermis · cortex · wrapper · film · glaze · enamel
- cephalopod shellsammonite, nautilus, coiled shell, septum, septa
- coveringscoating, covers, coatings, skin, film
- garment layersundershirt, camisole, slip, thermal, long johns
- skinepidermis, dermis, skin, cutis, pores
- winterwearwinter coat, parka, snow boots, mittens, scarf
- outer edgesedge, border, boundary, perimeter, periphery