Derma
/ˈdɜːr.mə/noun
The skin, especially the outer layer of the body.
Did you know?Derma comes from Greek dérma, and the same ancient root also gave us words for the skin’s hidden underside in medical terms like dermis and dermatitis.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*der-
“to split, peel, or tear”
Ancient Greek
Greek
dérma (δέρμα)
“skin, hide”
Late Latin
Latin
derma
“skin”
18th–19th Century
English
derma
“skin, especially in medical or scientific usage”
Modern English
English
derma
“the skin”