cutis
[ˈkʊ.tɪs]feminine
The Latin word for skin is cutis.
cutis refers to the outer protective layer of the body of a person or animal.
Meaning: outer protective layer of the body of a person or animal (noun)
Which one should you use?
tegumen is a formal term that emphasizes the idea of protective covering.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The default form cutis is a feminine noun in the nominative singular case.
Did you know?
- The word cutis shares an ancestral root with the English word 'sky', as both originally related to the concept of a 'covering'.
- In Latin, the word for skin is the basis for the English word 'cuticle'. This refers specifically to the dead skin at the base of a fingernail or toenail.
- The Latin root cutis gave rise to the English word 'cutaneous'. This term is used almost exclusively in medical contexts to describe things relating to the skin.
Examples in context
- Color cutis non est stirps.A skin color is not a lineage.This sentence illustrates the use of cutis in the context of skin color.Tatoeba #8902821 by shekitten, translation #8902723 by shekitten
- Cutis eius est tam alba quam nix.Her skin is as white as snow.This sentence uses cutis to describe the whiteness of skin.Tatoeba #5031383 by alexmarcelo, translation #309623 by CK
- Somnio ut filii olim quattuor cives sint nationis in qua colore cutis non censebuntur sed qualitate mentali.I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.This sentence uses cutis within a translation of a famous speech regarding judging character rather than skin color.Tatoeba #8797359 by RudeGuyGames, translation #6484105 by LeeSooHa
- Tegumen sanum est signum bonae valetudinis.Healthy skin is a sign of good health.
- Sceletum tegitur pelle cervina.The skeleton is covered in deer skin.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Quintus and Lucia are discussing a medical treatment.
- QuintusCur cutis tua rubra est, Lucia?Why is your skin red, Lucia?
- LuciaSol cutem meam valde ussit.The sun burned my skin badly.
- QuintusHoc medicamentum cutem tuam iuvabit.This medicine will help your skin.
- LuciaGratias tibi ago, Quinte.Thank you, Quintus.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “skin” translations and entries cutis, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cutis, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
