epidermis

[ ep-i-dur-mis ]

noun

1. Anatomy. the outer, nonvascular, nonsensitive layer of the skin, covering the true skin or corium.
2. Zoology. the outermost living layer of an animal, usually composed of one or more layers of cells.
3. Botany. a thin layer of cells forming the outer integument of seed plants and ferns.

epidermis

/ ˌɛpɪˈdɜːmɪs /

noun

1. Also calledcuticle the thin protective outer layer of the skin, composed of stratified epithelial tissue
2. the outer layer of cells of an invertebrate
3. the outer protective layer of cells of a plant, which may be thickened by a cuticle

epidermis

/ ĕp′ĭ-dûr′mĭs /

1. The protective outer layer of the skin. In invertebrate animals, the epidermis is made up of a single layer of cells. In vertebrates, it is made up of many layers of cells and overlies the dermis. Hair and feathers grow from the epidermis.
2. The outer layer of cells of the stems, roots, and leaves of plants. In most plants, the epidermis is a single layer of cells set close together to protect the plant from water loss, invasion by fungi, and physical damage. The epidermis that is exposed to air is covered with a protective substance called cuticle.
3. See more at photosynthesis

epidermis

1. The outside layers of the skin .

Derived Forms

• ˌepiˈdermal, adjective

Other Words From

• epi·dermal epi·dermic adjective
• epi·dermi·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of epidermis¹

1620–30; < Late Latin: surface skin < Greek epidermís upper skin. See epi-, derma ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of epidermis¹

C17: via Late Latin from Greek, from epi- + derma skin

Example Sentences

Split-thickness grafts that contain mostly epidermis with only some of dermis can be used to cover larger areas, but they do not include features like hair and sweat glands, and are more prone to shrinkage and scarring.

From Science Daily

"As alternatives to autologous skin grafts, artificial skin substitutes including cultured epidermis and reconstituted skins have been developed," says the lead author of the study Dr. Hisato Nagano.

From Science Daily

"These options are inferior, though, as cultured epidermis can only be used for shallow wounds, and the engraftment rate of reconstituted skins is low."

From Science Daily

To provide proof-of-concept for a new way to produce autologous skin grafts, the researchers generated skin grafts by introducing a mutation into mouse fetuses that made them unable to grow mature epidermis.

From Science Daily

Intriguingly, injecting the same mutated mouse embryos with human skin cells yielded similar results: as the mice developed in utero, they grew sheets of human skin that mimicked the structure and organization of mature epidermis.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• bark
• coating
• crust
• fur
• husk
• jacket
• membrane
• rind
• sheath
• surface