Words & TermsWork, bush and rural life
cleanskin
An unbranded animal; later, a person without a record or a wine bottle without a producer's label.
In a sentence
The buyer chose a cheap cleanskin from the bottom shelf.
Where it came from
Cleanskin first described unbranded livestock in pastoral Australia. The idea of having no identifying mark later extended to people without records and to wine sold without a producer’s label.
- Initial era
- 1850–1899
- Where used
- Australian use; no narrower regional pattern established
- Use today
- Current; sense-dependent