Skin vs. Flesh — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 19, 2023
"Skin" is the outer protective covering of the body, while "Flesh" refers to the soft tissue beneath the skin, often associated with muscles and fat.
Difference Between Skin and Flesh
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
"Skin" and "Flesh" are both integral parts of organisms, primarily humans and animals. While the skin acts as the body's protective shield against external factors, the flesh sits beneath, comprising the softer parts, often inclusive of muscles and fat.
The skin, being the body's largest organ, has various functions, including regulating temperature and preventing dehydration. Flesh, on the other hand, not only provides structure and form but also plays pivotal roles in movement and storage of energy.
One can observe the distinct difference between skin and flesh when handling fruit. Peeling an apple, for instance, removes the skin, exposing the flesh inside. Similarly, in humans, skin injuries can sometimes reach deeper, affecting the flesh beneath.
In various contexts, especially literary, "skin" might refer to surfaces or outward appearances, while "flesh" can symbolize indulgence, desires, or the human experience. For example, phrases like "skin-deep" indicate superficiality, and "flesh and blood" refers to human nature or kinship.
Both skin and flesh are fascinating in their complexity. Their functions, appearance, and symbolic meanings vary across species and contexts, but they remain interconnected in their purpose of sustaining life and ensuring survival.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comparison Chart
Position
Outermost layer of the body
Soft tissue beneath the skin
Function
Protection, temperature regulation
Provides structure, movement, energy storage
Composition
Epidermis, dermis, subcutaneous layer
Muscle, fat, connective tissue
Symbolic Meaning
Surface, appearance
Desires, human nature
Contextual Usage
Often used in cosmetic contexts
Commonly referenced in dietary or literary contexts
Compare with Definitions
Skin
A thin, close-fitting, usually elastic garment, especially a shirt, worn by scuba divers and others who engage in water sports for protection against scrapes and other superficial injuries.
Flesh
The soft part of the body of a person or animal.
The arrow pierced his flesh.
Skin
The thin layer covering the body of a person or animal.
She has very sensitive skin.
Flesh
To give substance or material form to something.
The sculptor fleshed out the clay model.
Skin
The protective outer covering of plants or fruits.
The skin of a grape is rich in antioxidants.
Flesh
The human nature or physical desires.
He was driven by the desires of the flesh.
Skin
A superficial or external appearance.
Don't trust things that are just skin-deep.
Flesh
Flesh is a term for some soft tissues of an organism. Various multicellular organisms have soft tissues that may be called "flesh".
Skin
Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation.Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different developmental origin, structure and chemical composition. The adjective cutaneous means "of the skin" (from Latin cutis 'skin').
Flesh
The soft tissue of the body of a vertebrate, covering the bones and consisting mainly of skeletal muscle and fat
Thought the boy needed some more flesh on his bones.
Skin
The thin layer of tissue forming the natural outer covering of the body of a person or animal
A flap of skin
I use body lotion to keep my skin supple
Flesh
Such tissue of an animal, used as food
Flesh of a cow.
Fish with white flesh.
Skin
The peel or outer layer of certain fruits or vegetables
Potatoes roasted in their skins
Flesh
The surface or skin of the human body
Goosebumps on my flesh.
Skin
A customized graphic user interface for an application or operating system.
Flesh
Fatty tissue
"a woman of wide and abundant flesh" (A.S. Byatt).
Skin
A skinhead
We were surrounded by skins with tattoos and braces
Flesh
(Botany) The pulpy, usually edible part of a fruit or vegetable.
Skin
(especially in jazz) a drum or drum head.
Flesh
The human body
"the thousand natural shocks / That flesh is heir to" (Shakespeare).
Skin
Relating to or denoting pornographic literature or films
The skin trade
Flesh
Sensual appetites
Gratification of the flesh.
Skin
A card game in which each player has one card which they bet will not be the first to be matched by a card dealt from the pack.
Flesh
Substance; reality
"The maritime strategy has an all but unstoppable institutional momentum behind it ... that has given force and flesh to the theory" (Jack Beatty).
Skin
A unit into which an Aboriginal people is divided, typically on the basis of descent, each skin being associated with a totemic bird, animal, or insect.
Flesh
To give substance or detail to; fill out. Often used with out
Fleshed out the novel with a subplot.
Skin
Remove the skin from (an animal or a fruit or vegetable)
Scald and skin the tomatoes
She skinned the pig and salted the carcass
Flesh
To clean (a hide) of adhering flesh.
Skin
Take money from or swindle (someone)
I ain't no dummy, and I know when I'm being skinned
Flesh
To encourage (a falcon, for example) to participate in the chase by feeding it flesh from a kill.
Skin
(of a wound) form new skin
The hole in his skull skinned over
Flesh
To plunge or thrust (a weapon) into flesh.
Skin
(of a player) take the ball past (a defender) with ease
Kanchelskis would have skinned him
Flesh
(Archaic) To inure (troops, for instance) to battle or bloodshed.
Skin
Make a cannabis cigarette
We had a few beers and then we skinned up
Flesh
To become plump or fleshy; gain weight.
Skin
The membranous tissue forming the external covering or integument of an animal and consisting in vertebrates of the epidermis and dermis.
Flesh
The soft tissue of the body, especially muscle and fat.
Skin
An animal pelt, especially the comparatively pliable pelt of a small or young animal
A tent made of goat skins.
Flesh
The skin of a human or animal.
Skin
A usually thin, closely adhering outer layer
The skin of a peach.
A sausage skin.
The skin of an aircraft.
Flesh
(by extension) Bare arms, bare legs, bare torso.
Skin
A container for liquids that is made of animal skin.
Flesh
Animal tissue regarded as food; meat (but sometimes excluding fish).
Skin
(Music) A drumhead.
Flesh
The human body as a physical entity.
Skin
One of a pair of strips of fabric or other material temporarily applied to the undersides of a pair of skis to provide traction while ascending slopes.
Flesh
(religion) The mortal body of a human being, contrasted with the spirit or soul.
Skin
(Computers) A design layout for the interface of a program such as a media player or instant messaging application that a user can select and often customize in order to alter the default appearance.
Flesh
(religion) The evil and corrupting principle working in man.
Skin
(Informal) One's life or physical survival
They lied to save their skins.
Flesh
The soft, often edible, parts of fruits or vegetables.
Skin
To remove skin from
Skinned and gutted the rabbit.
Flesh
(obsolete) Tenderness of feeling; gentleness.
Skin
To bruise, cut, or injure the skin or surface of
She skinned her knee.
Flesh
(obsolete) Kindred; stock; race.
Skin
To remove (an outer covering); peel off
Skin off the thin bark.
Flesh
A yellowish pink colour; the colour of some Caucasian human skin.
Skin
To cover with a skin or a similar layer
Skin the framework of a canoe.
Flesh
(transitive) To reward (a hound, bird of prey etc.) with flesh of the animal killed, to excite it for further hunting; to train (an animal) to have an appetite for flesh.
Skin
(Slang) To fleece; swindle.
Flesh
(transitive) To bury (something, especially a weapon) in flesh.
Skin
To become covered with skin or a similar layer
In January the pond skins over with ice.
Flesh
(obsolete) To inure or habituate someone in or to a given practice.
Skin
To pass with little room to spare
We barely skinned by.
Flesh
(transitive) To glut.
Skin
Of, relating to, or depicting pornography
Skin magazines.
Flesh
(transitive) To put flesh on; to fatten.
Skin
(uncountable) The outer protective layer of the body of any animal, including of a human.
He is so disgusting he makes my skin crawl.
Flesh
To remove the flesh from the skin during the making of leather.
Skin
(uncountable) The outer protective layer of the fruit of a plant.
Flesh
The aggregate of the muscles, fat, and other tissues which cover the framework of bones in man and other animals; especially, the muscles.
Skin
(countable) The skin and fur of an individual animal used by humans for clothing, upholstery, etc.
Flesh
Animal food, in distinction from vegetable; meat; especially, the body of beasts and birds used as food, as distinguished from fish.
With roasted flesh, or milk, and wastel bread.
Skin
(countable) A congealed layer on the surface of a liquid.
In order to get to the rest of the paint in the can, you′ll have to remove the skin floating on top of it.
Flesh
The human body, as distinguished from the soul; the corporeal person.
As if this flesh, which walls about our life,Were brass impregnable.
Skin
A set of resources that modifies the appearance and/or layout of the graphical user interface of a computer program.
You can use this skin to change how the browser looks.
Flesh
The human eace; mankind; humanity.
All flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
Skin
An alternate appearance (texture map or geometry) for a character model in a video game.
Flesh
Human nature
There is no flesh in man's obdurate heart.
Skin
Rolling paper for cigarettes.
Pass me a skin, mate.
Flesh
In a bad sense, tendency to transient or physical pleasure; desire for sensual gratification; carnality.
Skin
Clipping of skinhead
Flesh
Kindred; stock; race.
He is our brother and our flesh.
Skin
(Australia) A subgroup of Australian aboriginal people; such divisions are cultural and not related to an individual′s physical skin.
Flesh
The soft, pulpy substance of fruit; also, that part of a root, fruit, and the like, which is fit to be eaten.
Skin
(slang) Bare flesh, particularly bare breasts.
Let me see a bit of skin.
Flesh
To feed with flesh, as an incitement to further exertion; to initiate; - from the practice of training hawks and dogs by feeding them with the first game they take, or other flesh. Hence, to use upon flesh (as a murderous weapon) so as to draw blood, especially for the first time.
Full bravely hast thou fleshedThy maiden sword.
The wild dogShall flesh his tooth on every innocent.
Skin
A vessel made of skin, used for holding liquids.
Flesh
To glut; to satiate; hence, to harden, to accustom.
Old soldiersFleshed in the spoils of Germany and France.
Skin
(nautical) That part of a sail, when furled, which remains on the outside and covers the whole.
Flesh
To remove flesh, membrance, etc., from, as from hides.
Skin
(nautical) The covering, as of planking or iron plates, outside the framing, forming the sides and bottom of a vessel; the shell; also, a lining inside the framing.
Flesh
The soft tissue of the body of a vertebrate: mainly muscle tissue and fat
Skin
(aviation) The outer surface covering much of the wings and fuselage of an aircraft.
Flesh
Alternative names for the body of a human being;
Leonardo studied the human body
He has a strong physique
The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak
Skin
A drink of whisky served hot.
Flesh
A soft moist part of a fruit
Skin
A purse.
Flesh
The edible part of fruits or vegetables.
The flesh of the mango is sweet and juicy.
Skin
(transitive) To injure the skin of.
He fell off his bike and skinned his knee on the concrete.
Flesh
The body, as opposed to the soul or spirit.
While the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak.
Skin
(transitive) To remove the skin and/or fur of an animal or a human.
Skin
(colloquial) To high five.
Skin
To apply a skin to (a computer program).
Can I skin the application to put the picture of my cat on it?
Skin
To use tricks to go past a defender.
Skin
(intransitive) To become covered with skin.
A wound eventually skins over.
Skin
(transitive) To cover with skin, or as if with skin; hence, to cover superficially.
Skin
To produce, in recitation, examination, etc., the work of another for one's own, or to use cribs, memoranda, etc., which are prohibited.
Skin
To strip of money or property; to cheat.
Skin
The external membranous integument of an animal.
Skin
The hide of an animal, separated from the body, whether green, dry, or tanned; especially, that of a small animal, as a calf, sheep, or goat.
Skin
A vessel made of skin, used for holding liquids. See Bottle, 1.
Skin
The bark or husk of a plant or fruit; the exterior coat of fruits and plants.
Skin
That part of a sail, when furled, which remains on the outside and covers the whole.
Skin
To strip off the skin or hide of; to flay; to peel; as, to skin an animal.
Skin
To cover with skin, or as with skin; hence, to cover superficially.
It will but skin and film the ulcerous place.
Skin
To strip of money or property; to cheat.
Skin
To become covered with skin; as, a wound skins over.
Skin
To produce, in recitation, examination, etc., the work of another for one's own, or to use in such exercise cribs, memeoranda, etc., which are prohibited.
Skin
A natural protective covering of the body; site of the sense of touch;
Your skin is the largest organ of your body
Skin
The tissue forming the hard outer layer (of e.g. a fruit)
Skin
An outer surface (usually thin);
The skin of an airplane
Skin
Body covering of a living animal
Skin
A person's skin regarded as their life;
He tried to save his skin
Skin
The rind of a fruit or vegetable
Skin
A bag serving as a container for liquids; it is made from the skin of an animal
Skin
Climb awkwardly, as if by scrambling
Skin
Bruise, cut, or injure the skin or the surface of;
The boy skinned his knee when he fell
Skin
Remove the bark of a tree
Skin
Strip the skin off;
Pare apples
Skin
Strike against an object;
She stubbed her one's toe in the dark and now it's broken
Skin
To remove the outer layer from something.
She skinned the potatoes before boiling them.
Skin
To injure the surface layer of one's body.
He skinned his knee while playing soccer.
Common Curiosities
Is "flesh color" a universal shade?
No, "flesh color" is subjective and varies across cultures and individuals.
Is the skin the same in all parts of the human body?
No, skin thickness and type vary, like the thin skin on eyelids versus thicker skin on palms.
Can "flesh out" have a non-literal meaning?
Yes, "flesh out" can mean giving more details or substance to an idea or story.
What happens when the skin is cut?
A cut can expose the underlying flesh, making it prone to infections if not treated.
Is the term "flesh" used in literature?
Yes, it's often symbolic, representing desires, humanity, or mortality.
Why is skin essential for survival?
Skin protects against pathogens, regulates temperature, and prevents dehydration.
Why do people say "beauty is only skin-deep"?
It means external beauty doesn't equate to inner goodness or value.
Is flesh only found in animals?
No, the term "flesh" can also refer to the edible parts of fruits and vegetables.
Is flesh the same as muscles?
Not exactly. While flesh includes muscles, it also encompasses fat and connective tissue.
Does the skin have its own diseases?
Yes, there are many skin-specific diseases, like eczema or psoriasis.
Is the flesh of fruits always edible?
Mostly, but some fruits have toxic flesh or parts that shouldn't be consumed.
How can skin be protected?
By using sunscreen, moisturizers, avoiding excessive sun, and having a balanced diet.
Can skin regenerate?
To some extent, yes. Minor injuries heal, but larger wounds can leave scars.
What's the relationship between skin and flesh in terms of aging?
As one ages, skin can lose elasticity, and flesh might lose muscle mass or gain fat.
Can "flesh" have a spiritual or religious connotation?
Yes, especially in contexts like "sins of the flesh" or distinguishing between flesh and spirit.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Winge vs. Whinge
Next Comparison
Bridge vs. ViaductAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
