the compound adjective "thin-skinned" is a relatively modern english formation, first appearing in the 16th century. it literally describes a physical characteristic, such as a fruit with a delicate peel or an animal with a fine pelt. the metaphorical leap to describe a person who is easily offended is a classic example of semantic extension, where a tangible physical trait is used to conceptualize an intangible psychological sensitivity. the logic is transparent: just as thin skin offers little protection from physical abrasion, a "thin-skinned" individual possesses little emotional resilience against verbal criticism. this figurative usage, now the dominant sense, perfectly illustrates how english builds abstract human qualities from concrete, observable features.

Structure: thin (having little thickness) + skin (outer covering) + ned (adjective suffix) thin: from old english þynne, meaning "having little thickness or density." functional role: descriptive modifier. skin: from old norse skinn, meaning "animal hide, fur." functional role: core noun root. ned: a variant of the past participle suffix -ed, used to form adjectives meaning "having the quality of." functional role: adjectival suffix.