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Meaning & use

rind

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/raɪnd/
US/raɪnd/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable or uncountable

    The thick outer skin of fruits like watermelon, oranges, or lemons.

    Grammar: Can be countable (a rind) or uncountable (some rind). Often used with of: the rind of a lemon.

    Patterns

    • the rind of a fruit
    • fruit rind
    • grated rind

    She grated the rind of a lemon into the cake batter.

    Watermelon rind can be pickled or eaten.

    The recipe calls for the rind of one orange.

  2. nouncountable or uncountable

    The hard outer layer of cheese.

    Grammar: Often used with of: the rind of the cheese. Can be countable when referring to a piece.

    Patterns

    • cheese rind
    • the rind of the cheese
    • cut off the rind

    Some people enjoy eating the rind of Brie cheese.

    Cut off the rind before slicing the cheese.

    The rind protects the cheese inside.

  3. nouncountable or uncountable

    The outer layer of bacon or other fatty meat.

    Grammar: Often used with of: the rind of the bacon. Can be countable when referring to a piece.

    Patterns

    • bacon rind
    • pork rind
    • remove the rind

    The bacon rind becomes crispy when fried.

    He trimmed the rind off the ham before cooking.

    Pork rinds are a popular snack in some regions.

Word forms

pluralrinds

Common combinations

lemon rind
Add some lemon rind for extra flavor.
cheese rind
The cheese rind is edible but tough.
bacon rind
The bacon rind adds a salty crunch.
grated rind
The recipe uses grated rind of an orange.

Synonyms and how they differ

peel
Peel is usually thinner and is often removed from fruits like apples or potatoes; rind is thicker and tougher, as on citrus fruits or cheese.
skin
Skin is a general word for the outer covering of fruits, vegetables, or animals; rind is used for thick, tough outer layers.
crust
Crust often refers to a hard outer layer of bread or pastry; rind is used for cheese or meat.

Word family

rindy adjective
Having a tough rind.

Commonly confused: rind or rind?

rind vs rind

Not to be confused with 'rind' meaning a type of tree bark? Actually 'rind' can also mean tree bark, but in food contexts it is the outer skin.

Practice

Which word best completes the sentence? 'She grated the ___ of a lemon to add flavor to the cake.'

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