Word of the Day Archive
Sunday July 22, 2012
integument \in-TEG-yuh-muhnt\
, noun:
1. A natural covering, as a skin, shell, or rind.
2. Any covering, coating, enclosure, etc.
It seems to me that the process of adding an extra integument is unique to our species and easily understandable—we all want extra protection for our soft and vulnerable bodies.
-- William Boyd, Armadillo
The integuments which he wore in daytime were discarded and others were donned, of a kind which would serve but poorly to keep out the cold and to shed rain, sleet, or snow.
-- Frederick Philip Grove, Consider Her Ways
Integument stems from the Latin root tegumentum meaning "a covering." It is also the root of the dinosaur name stegosaurus.
Dictionary.com Entry and Pronunciation for integument
