desquamation
|de-squam-a-tion|
🇺🇸
/ˌdɛskwəˈmeɪʃən/
🇬🇧
/ˌdɛskwəˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/
shedding of an outer layer
Etymology
'desquamation' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'desquamatio' (from the verb 'desquamare'), where the prefix 'de-' meant 'off' and 'squama' meant 'scale'.
'desquamation' changed from the Late Latin word 'desquamatio' (derived from 'desquamare') and was adopted into New Latin medical terminology before entering English as 'desquamation'.
Initially it meant 'to remove or strip off scales,' and over time it came to denote the biological or pathological process of 'shedding or peeling of an outer layer' and the material shed.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the process of shedding or peeling of the outer layer of skin or epithelium, especially in a pathological or physiological context.
After the severe sunburn, desquamation of the epidermis occurred over several days.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/21 00:36