desquamate

D2E1S1Q10U1A1M3A1T1E1

verb

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

Similar
peel off
OriginLatin dēsquāmātus →
Scrabble 22
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Meanings

verbdesquamate (third-person singular simple present desquamates, present participle desquamating, simple past and past participle desquamated)

present singular third person desquamates · participle present desquamating · participle past desquamated · past desquamated

  1. transitiveTo remove the scales from, to scale; (less narrowly) to peel.
  2. intransitiveTo come off in the form of scales, to scale.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbpeel off in scales

Similar
peel off
Broader
shedmoltexuviate
Also see
peelpeel off

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latindēsquāmātus
  2. Englishdesquamate

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”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

desquamate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/desquamate

MLA

“desquamate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/desquamate. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “desquamate,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/desquamate.

Source: desquamate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.