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Glite Dictionary
exocarp

exocarp

9.9
The outer skin of a fruit like a peach or grape
  • noun
  • /ˈɛksoʊˌkɑrp/
  • Specialized
translation icon : exocarpio
  • The exocarp of a peach is soft and slightly fuzzy to the touch.

Examples

  • In citrus fruits, the brightly colored outer peel is the exocarp.

  • Scientists analyze the exocarp to determine how fruits resist pests.

  • The exocarp of a peach is fuzzy and soft.

  • Grapes have a smooth exocarp that is easy to eat.

  • The shiny skin of a peach is known as the exocarp.

  • When slicing the grape, she carefully removed the exocarp to reveal the juicy fruit inside.

  • The exocarp of a coconut is often covered in a fibrous husk.

Synonyms

skin
vsexocarp
92 1.0

The thin outer part of a fruit or vegetable

is the technical name for the fruit wall's outermost layer
hull
vsexocarp
4 4.2

The outer covering of a seed, nut, or fruit that you remove before eating

is the botanical outermost pericarp layer, not defined by removability
epicarp
vsexocarp
  • Specialized
9.9

The outer skin of a fruit like a peach or grape

has identical meaning but is the alternative technical name

Surface Forms

exocarp singular
exocarps plural

Morphology

exocarp = carp (semi-transparent) = exo + carp

The prefix 'exo-' meaning 'outside' is clear, but 'carp' is not a standalone English word, making the full meaning less obvious.

Etymology

The word exocarp comes from Greek parts exo- 'outside' and carp 'fruit', and you can see exo- in common English words like exterior and exit. So the exocarp is simply the 'outside' layer of a fruit, its skin (for example, the soft skin of a peach or the peel of a citrus), which explains the word's modern meaning.