skink
UK[skɪŋk]US[skɪŋk]
n
A small lizard with smooth, shiny scales, short legs, and a long tapering tail, found in many parts of the world.
Etymology
The word 'skink' has a long journey through European languages, originating from the Greek 'skinkos', which referred specifically to a type of lizard. Latin adopted it as 'scincus', maintaining the same zoological meaning. The term entered Middle French as 'scinc' before being borrowed into English in the late 16th century. Throughout this transmission, its form remained remarkably stable, and its meaning has consistently and exclusively denoted this particular family of lizards, demonstrating a classic case of a precise scientific loanword.
Analysis
The word 'skink' is a simplex loanword. It is derived from the French 'scinc', which came from the Latin 'scincus', itself borrowed from the Greek 'skinkos'.
Examples
The children were delighted to find a common garden skink basking on the warm rock.
Skinks are often distinguished from other lizards by their glossy, overlapping scales.
Many species of skink have the remarkable ability to detach their tails to escape predators.