Word To Use Today: pellicle.

A pellicle is a thin skin or film of the sort found on a mushroom:


photo by Kaldari

or on any printed-out photograph:


photo by Ray eye. (This photograph is, obviously, not printed-out, but it's lovely, anyway.)

Pellicle is a word both ridiculous and lovely. TS Eliot famously called his black and white cats jellicle cats I think it's fair to assume that he would have been charmed by the word pellicle, too. 

And if it's good enough for him...

Word To Use Today: pellicle. This word comes from the Latin pellicula, from pellis, skin.