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To shred, peel, or scale off, as the casting off of the epidermis in scales or shreds, or the shedding of the outer layer of any surface. [L. desquamo, pp. -atus, to scale off, fr. squama, a scale]
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des·qua·mate 'des-kwə-.māt vi, -mat·ed; -mat·ing to peel off in the form of scales: scale off <desquamated epithelial cells>
des·qua·ma·tion .des-kwə-'mā-shən n
Medical dictionary. 2011.