pachydermatous

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   of, relating to, or characteristic of pachyderms

   Darwin described the dugong as a pachydermatous animal under the older classification.

2. 2
   adj

   having unusually thick or thickened skin

   The rhinoceros has a pachydermatous hide folded around its shoulders.

3. 3
   adj

   insensitive to criticism or the feelings of others

   The pachydermatous official ignored every complaint from the public.

Ultimately from Greek pakhys ("thick") and derma, dermatos ("skin"), through New Latin Pachydermata and English -ous. It first meant belonging to the old zoological group of thick-skinned mammals, then developed literal and figurative senses of "thick-skinned."

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