What this suffix does
-skinned describes skin tone (dark-skinned, fair-skinned) or, figuratively, how sensitive someone is to criticism: thick-skinned (not easily offended), thin-skinned (sensitive).
ESEN
Suffix · forms adjectives
-skinned
Describes skin tone or, figuratively, how sensitive someone is to criticism: thick-skinned (not easily offended) versus thin-skinned (easily offended).
In Spanish: de piel / sensible / resistenteIntermediate
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
How it is formed
Adjective + skinned.
- thick + skinnedthick-skinned (not easily offended)
- thin + skinnedthin-skinned (easily offended)
- dark + skinneddark-skinned
This is not a productive rule you can apply freely: it is a closed set of fixed expressions. Learn them one by one as set phrases.
How it is pronounced
-skinned
Tap the button to hear how the ending sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
Examples
Base word
With -skinned
In a phrase
- thickthick-skinnedYou need to be thick-skinned to work in comedy.
- thinthin-skinnedHe's too thin-skinned to handle criticism well.
- darkdark-skinnedThe sunscreen works for both light and dark-skinned people.
- fairfair-skinnedShe's fair-skinned, so she burns easily in the sun.
- toughtough-skinnedSome fruits are tough-skinned and hard to peel.
Common mistakes
thick-skinned = insensitive and unfeeling as a general character trait
thick-skinned = specifically resistant to criticism, insult, or negative external judgment
"Thick-skinned" describes a protective resistance to criticism, rejection, and negative social feedback — not general emotional numbness. A thick-skinned person can still feel love, joy, grief, and anger deeply. The "thick skin" is specifically a defense against the external judgment of others. Being thick-skinned is almost always considered a professional and social virtue.
thin-skinned = physically having thin or delicate skin
thin-skinned = easily hurt or offended by criticism, rejection, or negative feedback
"Thin-skinned" in figurative use = emotionally vulnerable to criticism and negative judgment; easily hurt or destabilised by social disapproval. The metaphor suggests that the boundary between self and the outside world is unusually thin, allowing every critical blow to penetrate deeply. It is usually used as mild criticism — a person should ideally be resilient enough to handle some negative feedback.
A trick to remember it
"Skinned" = skinned, literal. Picture skin as a shield: thick-SKINNED = a thick shield, nothing hurts (not easily offended). thin-SKINNED = a thin shield, everything hurts (sensitive).
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
"thin-skinned" describes someone who is...
Frequently asked questions
What does the suffix -skinned mean in English?
The suffix -skinned describes skin tone or, figuratively, how sensitive someone is to criticism: thick-skinned (not easily offended) versus thin-skinned (easily offended). In Spanish it usually maps to de piel / sensible / resistente.
Can you give an example of a word with -skinned?
"thick" becomes "thick-skinned". It is a typical example of the -skinned suffix.
Other useful suffixes
-hearted
Describes someone's emotional character: warmhearted (kind, affectionate) and coldhearted (unfeeling, unkind).
-natured
Describes someone's underlying character: good-natured (kind, easygoing) versus ill-natured (bad-tempered).
-willed
Describes how strong someone's willpower is: strong-willed (determined) versus weak-willed (easily swayed).
Learn every English suffix
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