# exfoliate

> English word · Verb · IPA /ɛksˈfoʊlieɪt/ · frequency rank #60,071

## Definitions
1. To remove the leaves from a plant.
2. To remove a layer of skin, as in cosmetic preparation.
3. To split into scales, especially to become converted into scales as the result of heat or decomposition.

## Etymology
From Late Latin exfoliō (“I strip of leaves”), from ex- (“out of”) + folium (“leaf”); compare effoliate and French exfolier.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/exfoliate