The dry outer covering of a fruit, seed, or nut; also used metaphorically to describe an empty shell or the remains of something once whole.
From Middle English 'huske', possibly from Middle Dutch 'huusken' meaning 'little house'. The metaphor of a small house for seeds reflects how husks serve as protective dwellings for the valuable inner contents.
The metaphor of a husk as a 'little house' for seeds is beautifully preserved in the word's etymology. When we describe someone as a 'husk of their former self,' we're using this same imagery - the protective outer shell remains, but the vital essence has departed.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.