ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary Builder›Words›E›exoskeleton
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exoskeleton
hard external structure that supports and protects an animal's body
Synonyms
- shell
exoskeleton in a sentence
A lobster's exoskeleton protects its soft body from predators in the ocean.
Beetles rely on a tough exoskeleton instead of bones to protect their organs and hold their bodies together.
Where it comes from
From Greek exo 'outside' and skeletos 'dried up'
Memory hook
EXO (outside) + SKELETON — a skeleton worn on the OUTSIDE of the body.
Word parts
- exo/ecto — outside, external
exoskeleton: exo- (outside) + skeleton (dried body)
Read it in context
- Mosquitoes in the Marsh Science
Practice exoskeleton in the app