carapace

Wish I could say I know this word, but I can’t, ‘cause I don’t

Definition of carapace:
1. “Zoology. A hard bony or chitinous outer covering, such as the fused dorsal plates of a turtle or the portion of the exoskeleton covering the head and thorax of a crustacean.

2. A protective, shell-like covering likened to that of a turtle or crustacean.

3. The ultimate thick skin: if you've got one you're protected against sticks, stones and name-calling.” (answers.com).

Where I ran across it:
7/18/08 NYT movie review,“Showdown in Gotham Town,” by Manohla Dargis, about the new Batman movie, "The Dark Knight."

“…In and out of his black carapace and on the restless move, Batman remains, perhaps not surprisingly then, a recessive, almost elusive figure. …”

My two cents:
While the movie is technically the “star” of Manohla Dargis’ review, there’s another contender: the review itself. This writer is on my short list of favorites. Go read her stuff and you’ll see why. Thing of beauty. Girl can flat turn a phrase.

And the word, "carapace" is really playing with me. See Definition 3. I’m suddenly grappling with the gentle reminder that there’s a world of difference between pretending to have a thick skin, and actually having one. So while you’re reading Ms. Dargis’ review, I’ll be busy searching for a clue, and a carapace.

Something tells me I won’t find them on ebay or craigslist. Damn.