Rind
/raɪnd/noun
The tough outer skin or covering of certain fruits, cheeses, or other objects.
Did you know?English rind is related to German Rinde, and both descend from a Germanic word for bark or peel, not from anything mystical—but it’s a perfect example of how old words preserve the idea of a protective shell.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*rindō
“Bark, peel, or outer covering”
Old English
OE
rinde
“Tree bark; outer covering”
Middle English
ME
rinde
“Bark, husk, or peel”
Modern English
English
rind
“The tough outer skin or covering of fruit, cheese, or similar things”