skinless
UK: ˈskɪnləs | US: ˈskɪnləs
adj. lacking skin or a natural outer covering
adj. (figuratively) extremely thin or emaciated
The word "skinless" combines "skin," derived from Old Norse skinn (animal hide), with the suffix "-less," from Old English -lēas (without). The suffix "-less" is a productive morpheme in English, often added to nouns to form adjectives indicating absence. The compound logically evolved to describe literal lack of skin (e.g., peeled fruit) or figurative thinness (e.g., "skinless budget").
The skinless chicken breasts are ready for marinating.
His skinless arms showed signs of prolonged malnutrition.
The documentary featured skinless specimens in the biology lab.
She prefers skinless tomatoes for her salsa recipe.
The budget proposal was criticized as skinless and unsustainable.