Excoriate

Pronunciation

• US IPA: /ɪkˈskɔɹ.iËŒeɪt/, /ɪkˈskoʊɹ.iËŒeɪt/

Origin

From Late Latin excoriātus, perfect participle of Latin excoriō ("take the skin or hide off, flay"). from ex ("off") + corium ("hide, skin").

Full definition of excoriate

Verb

1. (transitive) To wear off the skin of; to chafe or flay.
2. (transitive) To strongly denounce or censure.
• 2004, China Miéville, Iron Council, 2005 Trade paperback ed., ISBN 0-345-45842-7. p. 464:Madeleina di Farja had described Ori, and Cutter had envisaged an angry, frantic, pugnacious boy eager to fight, excoriating his comrades for supposed quiescence.
• 2006, Patrick Healy "Spitzer and Clinton Win in N.Y. Primary," New York Times, 13 Sep. (retrieved 7 Oct. 2008):Mr. Green, a former city public advocate and candidate for mayor in 2001, ran ads excoriating Mr. Cuomo’s ethics.

Synonyms

• (to wear off the skin of) abrade, chafe, flay
• (to strongly denounce or censure) condemn, disparage, reprobate, tear a strip off

Derived terms

• excoriator
• excoriation

Anagrams

• exoterica