Shell
/ʃɛl/noun
A hard protective outer covering of an animal, seed, or object.
Did you know?English shell is historically linked to the same ancient root as scale and shale, all tracing back to a Proto-Germanic idea of splitting or peeling apart.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*skel-
“to split, cut off”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*skallō / *skaljō
“a shell or husk; something split off”
Old English
OE
scell
“a shell, husk, or peel”
Middle English
ME
schel / shelle
“a shell; also a protective covering”
Modern English
English
shell
“a hard outer covering or casing”