scute
noun
ˈsküt 
ˈskyüt
: an external bony or horny plate or large scale
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Each scute has concentric growth rings at the center, which have been often cited—perhaps erroneously—as a way to estimate their age. 
National Geographic, 26 Mar. 2020 Even today, bones and scutes are sold as medicine from China to Mexico. Craig Welch, National Geographic, 20 Sep. 2019 All but leatherbacks, with their layer of thick skin, have bony external skeletons covered in scutes of keratin, the material found in rhinoceros horns and our own fingernails. Craig Welch, National Geographic, 20 Sep. 2019 In lieu of scales, bony plates called scutes cover the sturgeon’s cartilaginous bodies. Julia Kramer, Bon Appetit, 6 Feb. 2017 In lieu of scales, bony plates called scutes cover the sturgeon’s cartilaginous bodies. Julia Kramer, Bon Appetit, 6 Feb. 2017
National Geographic, 26 Mar. 2020 Even today, bones and scutes are sold as medicine from China to Mexico. Craig Welch, National Geographic, 20 Sep. 2019 All but leatherbacks, with their layer of thick skin, have bony external skeletons covered in scutes of keratin, the material found in rhinoceros horns and our own fingernails. Craig Welch, National Geographic, 20 Sep. 2019 In lieu of scales, bony plates called scutes cover the sturgeon’s cartilaginous bodies. Julia Kramer, Bon Appetit, 6 Feb. 2017 In lieu of scales, bony plates called scutes cover the sturgeon’s cartilaginous bodies. Julia Kramer, Bon Appetit, 6 Feb. 2017 Word History
Etymology
New Latin scutum, from Latin, shield — more at esquire
First Known Use
1848, in the meaning defined above