Monocoque (/ˈmɒnɵkɒk/ or /ˈmɒnɵkoʊk/) is a structural approach that supports loads through an object's external skin, similar to a pingpong ball or egg shell. The term is also used to indicate a form of vehicle construction in which the skin provides the main structural support, although this is rare and is usually confused with either semi-monocoque or a unibody. The word monocoque comes from the Greek for single (mono) and French for shell (coque). The technique may also be called structural skin or stressed skin.