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excoriate Definition

ex·co·ri·ate (ek skôr′ē āt′, ik-)

transitive verb excoriated -·at′ed, excoriating -·at′·ing

  1. to strip, scratch, or rub off the skin of; flay, abrade, chafe, etc.
  2. to denounce harshly

Etymology: ME excoriaten < L excoriatus, pp. of excoriare < ex-, out, off + corium, the skin: see corium

Related Forms:

excoriate Synonyms

excoriate

v.

  1. To remove strips of skin, bark, etc.

    abrade, chafe, flay; see skin.

  2. To denounce

    condemn, criticize, flay; see censure, denounce.

excoriate Usage Examples

Modifying Another Word

  • not: This play does not excoriate hypocrisy: it flirts with sophistry to test our sympathies toward unexpected virtue.