From Middle English pelen, from Old English pilian and Old French peler, pellier; both from Latin pilō, pilāre (“to remove hair from, depilate”), from pilus (“hair”). Doublet of pill.
Meanings
(uncountable, usually) The skin or outer layer of a fruit, vegetable, etc.
(countable) The action of peeling away from a formation.
(countable) A cosmetic preparation designed to remove dead skin or to exfoliate.
ka ქერქი (skin of a fruit) · be шалупі́на (skin of a fruit) · ta தோல் (skin of a fruit) · sk šupa (skin of a fruit) · ar قِشْرَة (skin of a fruit) · de Schale (skin of a fruit) · tg пӯст (skin of a fruit) · lmo rusca (skin of a fruit) · ko 껍질 (skin of a fruit) · cs slupka (skin of a fruit) · sl lupina (skin of a fruit) · be шалупа́йка (skin of a fruit) · th เปลือก (skin of a fruit) · lv miza (skin of a fruit) · tt кабык (skin of a fruit) · ja 果皮 (skin of a fruit) · sw ganda ((Rugby football) The action of peeling away from a formation) · nl schil (skin of a fruit) · da skræl (skin of a fruit) · ka კანი (skin of a fruit) · km សំបក (skin of a fruit) · pl obierzyna (skin of a fruit) · fi kuori (skin of a fruit) · bho छाल (skin of a fruit) · sq lëvozhgë (skin of a fruit) · oc pelofa (skin of a fruit) · sh kȍra (skin of a fruit) · el φλοιός (skin of a fruit) · gl pela (skin of a fruit) · lo ເປືອກ (skin of a fruit) · he קליפה (skin of a fruit) · bg шлю́пка (skin of a fruit) · oc pelalha (skin of a fruit) · mn хальс (skin of a fruit) · pl skórka (skin of a fruit) · grc λέπισμα (skin of a fruit) · pl obierka (skin of a fruit) · ar قِشْر (skin of a fruit) · hi छाल (skin of a fruit) · be лупі́на (skin of a fruit) · tk gabyk (skin of a fruit) · ba ҡабыҡ (skin of a fruit) · zu ikhasi (skin of a fruit) · he קְלִפָּה (skin of a fruit) · vi vỏ (skin of a fruit) · hi छिलका (skin of a fruit) · be ску́рка (skin of a fruit) · gl casca (skin of a fruit) · hu héj (skin of a fruit) · ru кожура́ (skin of a fruit) · sl olupek (skin of a fruit) · ja 皮 (skin of a fruit) · sh ко̏ра (skin of a fruit) · pt casca (skin of a fruit) · tr kabuk (skin of a fruit) · fa پوست (skin of a fruit) · fi kuorintavoide (cosmetic preparation) · ms kulit (skin of a fruit) · cmn 皮 (skin of a fruit) · is hýði (skin of a fruit) · ru шелуха́ (skin of a fruit) · hrx Scheels (skin of a fruit) · be ко́рка (skin of a fruit) · nrf p'liche (skin of a fruit) · oc pelhòfa (skin of a fruit) · fr pelure (skin of a fruit) · uk кі́рка (skin of a fruit) · hy կեղև (skin of a fruit) · uz poʻst (skin of a fruit) · ru ко́жица (skin of a fruit) · cs kůra (skin of a fruit) · lt žievė (skin of a fruit) · pl peeling (cosmetic preparation) · scn peḍḍi (skin of a fruit) · ee fo (skin of a fruit) · kk қабық (skin of a fruit) · kmr tîvil (skin of a fruit) · bg кора́ (skin of a fruit) · bg ко́жица (skin of a fruit) · yi שאָלעכץ (skin of a fruit) · pdt Schal (skin of a fruit) · sk šupka (skin of a fruit) · cmn 果皮 (skin of a fruit) · et koor (skin of a fruit) · ru ко́рка (skin of a fruit) · ro coajă (skin of a fruit) · ur چھال (skin of a fruit) · fr épluchure (skin of a fruit) · ug پوست (skin of a fruit) · oc pelanha (skin of a fruit) · sw ganda (skin of a fruit) · bg лю́спа (skin of a fruit) · ltg skrejš (skin of a fruit) · ml തോൽ (skin of a fruit) · el φλούδα (skin of a fruit) · lad kashkara (skin of a fruit) · az qabıq (skin of a fruit) · es cáscara (skin of a fruit) · vi bì (skin of a fruit) · it buccia (skin of a fruit) · sw ganda (cosmetic preparation) · nb skall (skin of a fruit) · mk лу́шпа (skin of a fruit) · te తొక్క (skin of a fruit) · ru шку́рка (skin of a fruit) · mk ко́ра (skin of a fruit) · uz qobiq (skin of a fruit) · ky кабык (skin of a fruit) · uk шкі́рка (skin of a fruit) · ko 과피 (skin of a fruit) · uk лушпа́йка (skin of a fruit) · ro pieliță (skin of a fruit) · uz poʻchoq (skin of a fruit) · sv skal (skin of a fruit) · uk шку́рка (skin of a fruit) · pl obierek (skin of a fruit) · be лушпі́на (skin of a fruit) · my အခွံ (skin of a fruit)
From Middle English pelen, from Old English pilian and Old French peler, pellier; both from Latin pilō, pilāre (“to remove hair from, depilate”), from pilus (“hair”). Doublet of pill.
Meanings
(transitive) To remove the skin or outer covering of.
I sat by my sister's bed, peeling oranges for her.
The skillful shepherd peeled me certain wands. c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:
(transitive) To remove something from the outer or top layer of.
I peeled (the skin from) a banana and ate it hungrily.
We peeled the old wallpaper off in strips where it was hanging loose.
(intransitive) To become detached, come away, especially in flakes or strips; to shed skin in such a way.
I had been out in the sun too long, and my nose was starting to peel.
(intransitive) To remove one's clothing.
The children peeled by the side of the lake and jumped in.
(intransitive) To move, separate (off or away).
The scrum-half peeled off and made for the touchlines.
From Middle English pele, from Old French pele (modern French pelle), from Latin pāla, from the base of plangō (“fix, plant”). Doublet of pala.
Meanings
A shovel or similar instrument, now especially a pole with a flat disc at the end used for removing pizza or loaves of bread from a baker's oven.
“I will hit you with this pizza peel.” “I'll hit you with this wrench.” “All right, all right, I know we want to hit each other to death, but what if we didn't?” “Not happening, Green. There's enough peel here for you and the captain.” 2026 June 5, Justin Michael, “I'm Just Venting” (3:25 from the start), in Among Us, season 1, episode 9, spoken by Purple (Ashley Johnson):
Near-synonym: pizza paddle
A T-shaped implement used by printers and bookbinders for hanging wet sheets of paper on lines or poles to dry.
br pal-forn (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · mk ло́пата (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · sl lopár (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · la vatillum pīstōrium (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · ca pala de forner (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · fr pelle à four (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · cy crafell (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · de Ofenschieber (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · cs lopáč (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · fi leipälapio (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · de Ofenschaufel (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · et leivalabidas (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · lb Broutschéiss (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · de Backschießer (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · nl ovenpaal (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · pl łopata (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · tmr מַסָּא (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · pt pá (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · sq qezë (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · es pala panadero (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · el φτυάρι (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · eu labe-endai (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · de Brotschieber (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · sh lòpār (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · sh ло̀па̄р (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · cy rhawlech (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · izh leipälapja (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · nl ovenschop (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · gl pa (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · nl broodschieter (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · et leivalasn (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · bg фурнаджийска лопата (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · pl lofer (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · sk lopár (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · uk лопа́та (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · ota سستره (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · fr pelle à enfourner (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · dsb łopatka (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · la vatillum fornācāle (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · lt ližė (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · ru лопа́та (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · nl ovenschieter (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · hsb łopač (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · sv brödspade (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · ro lopată (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven) · sq qehën (spadelike implement for removing loaves from an oven)
(archaic, transitive) To plunder; to pillage, rob.
O conſider my caſe, moſt blisfull Queen, […] Diſpell thoſe Clouds which hover 'twixt my King and his higheſt Counſell, […] that my great Law-making Court be forced to turn no more to polemicall Committees, […] but that they may come again to the old Parliamentary Rode, To the path of their Predeceſſours, to conſult of means how to ſweep away thoſe Cobwebs that hang in the Courts of Juſtice, and to make the Laws run in their right Channell; to retrench exceſſive fees, and finde remedies for the future, that the poor Client be not ſo peeled by his Lawyer, and made to ſuffer by ſuch monſtrous delays, that one may go from one Tropick to the other, and croſſe the Equinoctiall twenty times, before his ſute be done; […] 1645, James Howell, “England’s Tears, for the Present Wars, which for the Nature of the Quarrel, the Quality of the Strength, the Diversity of Battels, Skirmishes, Encounters, and Sieges, (Happened in so Short a Compasse of Time) Cannot be Parallel’d in Any Precedent Age”, in ΔΕΝΔΡΟΛΟΓΊΑ [DENDROLOGIA]: Dodona’s Grove, or The Vocall Forrest. The Third Edition More Exact and Perfect than the Former; with the Addition of Two Other Tracts: viz. Englands Tears for the Present Wars. And The Pre-eminence of Parlements, 3rd edition, Cambridge: Printed by R. D. for Humphrey Moseley, and are to be sold at his shop at the Prince's Arms in S. Pauls Church-yard, →OCLC, page 189:
But govern ill the nations under yoke, / Peeling their provinces. 1671, John Milton, “The First Book”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 4:
1825 June 25, "My Village Bells", in The Circulator of Useful Knowledge, Literature, Amusement, and General Information number XXVI, available in, 1825, The Circulator of Useful Amusement, Literature, Science, and General Information, page 401,
Oh ! still for me let merry bells peel out their holy chime;
1901 January 1, "Twentieth Century's Triumphant Entry", The New York Times, page 1,
The lights flashed, the crowds sang,... bells peeled, bombs thundered,... and the new Century made its triumphant entry.
As the tiny Virgin... approaches one of the barrio churches, bells peel vigorously, a brass band launches into a fast-paced tune, and large rockets zoom... . 2006, Miles Richardson, Being-In-Christ and Putting Death in Its Place, Louisiana State University Press, →ISBN, pages 230–231: