Flesh is the soft part of the body between the skin and the bones, including muscle and fat. It can also refer to the soft, edible part of fruits like peaches or apples.
“Flesh” comes from Old English “flǣsc,” from a Proto-Germanic root meaning “meat” or “flesh.” It is related to words in German and Dutch with similar meanings.
We use “flesh” in many metaphors: “flesh and blood” for living people, or “to flesh out an idea” when adding details. The word keeps the sense of adding real, solid substance to something.
'Flesh' has been used in sexualized and objectifying ways, especially about women's bodies, often reducing people to physical appearance. Religious and philosophical traditions have also gendered 'flesh' as weak or tempting, sometimes associating this with women in particular.
Use 'flesh' carefully and contextually, avoiding objectifying or sexualized descriptions of bodies; prefer neutral anatomical terms when possible. Do not use 'flesh' to generalize about moral weakness tied to any gender.
["skin","tissue","body","human body"]
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