Meaning & use
dusky skin
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Meanings
noununcountableliteraryold-fashioned
A phrase in older or poetic writing for a darker, brownish complexion.
Grammar: A noun phrase: she had dusky skin. Modern writers usually name the shade directly.
Patterns
- dusky skin and dark hair
The novel described the heroine's dusky skin in the evening light.
His dusky skin glowed against the white shirt.
Old travel books mention villagers with dusky skin.
noununcountableliterary
Skin that appears dim or shadowed because the light is low.
Grammar: Descriptive and poetic, about how skin looks at dusk.
The lamp gave her dusky skin a soft glow.
In the twilight, his dusky skin blended with the shadows.
Common combinations
- with dusky skin
- A girl with dusky skin stepped out of the shadows.
- dusky skin tone
- The paint matched her dusky skin tone.
- smooth dusky skin
- The poem praised her smooth dusky skin.
- dusky skin and eyes
- He had dusky skin and bright eyes.
Synonyms and how they differ
- dark skin
- Dark skin is the plain, neutral phrase used today, while dusky skin sounds dated and romanticized.
- brown skin
- Brown skin is more direct and common now, and it does not carry the old-fashioned feel of dusky.
- swarthy
- Swarthy is also dated and can sound unflattering, so it is best avoided.
- tan skin
- Tan skin usually refers to skin darkened by the sun, not natural complexion.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: dusky skin or dusty?
dusky skin vs dusty
Dusty means covered with dust. Dusky means somewhat dark or dim in color or light.
Practice
A modern writer who wants a neutral phrase would most likely choose ___ instead of dusky skin.
Choose one answer.
Dark skin is the plain, neutral phrase in current writing. Swarthy is also dated, and dusty and murky have different meanings.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dusky skin”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.