exfoliate vs unfold

exfoliate and unfold both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
exfoliate	No	No	Yes	No
unfold	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, unfold is a hypernym of exfoliate; that is, unfold is a word with a broader meaning than exfoliate:

Other hypernyms of exfoliate include open, spread, spread out.

exfoliate (verb)	unfold (verb)
grow by producing or unfolding leaves	develop or come to a promising stage
cast off in scales, laminae, or splinters	spread out or open from a closed or folded state
remove the surface, in scales or laminae	extend or stretch out to a greater or the full length
spread by opening the leaves of	open to the view
come off in a very thin piece