rind
/raɪnd/
noun
Origin
Proto-Germanic
*rindō — bark, crust
Overview
Meaning Now
- The tough, outer skin or peel of a fruit, vegetable, or cheese.
- A bark-like outer covering of a tree or other plant.
Literal older meaning
crust, bark, or skin
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old English → Modern English
Earliest form
rinde
Earliest period
Old English period
Journey
The term has Germanic roots shared with words referring to the outer layer or hide of an object. In agricultural history, it specifically delineated the inedible or hardened outer layer of produce or processed food like cheese.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*rindō
“bark, skin”
- Old English
rinde
“bark, skin”
- Middle English
rinde
“crust or outer covering”
- Modern English
rind
“outer skin of fruit or cheese”
Connections
Word parts
rind
root
skin or crust
Related across languages
Old High German
rinta
bark
Old Norse
rindill
a small crust or scrap
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Related to rind
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.