EXFOLIATE
Dictionary entry overview: What does exfoliate mean?
• EXFOLIATE (verb)
The verb EXFOLIATE has 5 senses:
1. spread by opening the leaves of
2. cast off in scales, laminae, or splinters
3. remove the surface, in scales or laminae
4. come off in a very thin piece
5. grow by producing or unfolding leaves
Familiarity information: EXFOLIATE used as a verb is common.
Dictionary entry details
• EXFOLIATE (verb)
Meaning:
Spread by opening the leaves of
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Hypernyms (to "exfoliate" is one way to...):
open; spread; spread out; unfold (spread out or open from a closed or folded state)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Cast off in scales, laminae, or splinters
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Hypernyms (to "exfoliate" is one way to...):
cast; cast off; drop; shake off; shed; throw; throw away; throw off (get rid of)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Remove the surface, in scales or laminae
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Hypernyms (to "exfoliate" is one way to...):
peel off (peel off the outer layer of something)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Come off in a very thin piece
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Hypernyms (to "exfoliate" is one way to...):
break away; break off; chip; chip off; come off (break off (a piece from a whole))
Sentence frame:
Something ----s
Meaning:
Grow by producing or unfolding leaves
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Context example:
plants exfoliate
Hypernyms (to "exfoliate" is one way to...):
grow (increase in size by natural process)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s
