noun

la piel

skin · fur

Capa del cuerpo que cubre y protege los músculos, huesos y órganos de los seres vivos.

Definition & meaning

The word piel primarily refers to the skin, which is the outer layer of tissue covering the body of a human or an animal. Depending on the context, it can have several specific meanings:

Human Skin: The biological organ that covers the entire human body.
Animal Hide or Fur: The skin of an animal, especially when it is removed to be used for clothing, rugs, or other purposes. It can refer to both the raw hide and the processed leather or fur.
Leather: In the context of fashion and manufacturing, it denotes the material made from processed animal skins.
Fruit and Vegetable Skin: It refers to the outer layer or peel of certain fruits and vegetables, such as a grape, a peach, or a tomato.

Grammar & Word origin

The word piel is a feminine noun (la piel). Its plural form is pieles.

Etymologically, it is derived from the Latin word pellis, which also means skin or hide. It shares the same root as the English word "pelt" and the Spanish word pellejo.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

Depending on whether you are referring to anatomy, materials, or plants, several synonyms can be used:

Anatomy: cutis (specifically used for the skin of the face), dermis (the technical or medical term for skin), tez (referring to the complexion or skin of the face).
Materials: cuero (leather or hide), vellón (fleece or woolly skin).
Botany: cáscara (peel or rind), hollejo (the thin skin of fruit like grapes).
General/Colloquial: pellejo (often used for loose skin or animal hide).

Antonyms

Because piel refers to a physical part of an organism or a material, there are no direct opposites in a linguistic sense. However, in anatomical or structural contexts, it can be contrasted with: