melan-

1. variant of melano- before a vowel:

   melanism.

Example Sentences

In 2020, Melan beamed into D.C.’s music scene with her first single, “Full Moon,” a twinkling lullaby that doubles as a young girl’s coming home to self and a sleepy ode to another lunation.

From Washington Post

Melan grew up listening to classic and alternative rock, Southern rap, and experimental artists, but especially gravitated toward neo-soul.

From Washington Post

Last September, Melan released her debut album, “A Cool Girl Dream,” a 17-minute affirmation of self-respect, femininity, freedom and fun.

From Washington Post

Whether you want to dance or cry, Melan is here for you.

From Washington Post

Of her forthcoming album, “Heart Lessons,” Melan says, “I’m not defining my worth by other people anymore.”

From Washington Post

Words That Use melan-

What does melan- mean?

Melan- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “black” or “dark-colored.” In biology and medicine, melan- is specifically used to refer to melanin, “any of a class of insoluble pigments, found in all forms of animal life, that account for the dark color of skin, hair, fur, scales, feathers, etc.”

Melan- comes from the Greek mélās, meaning “black.” Did you know the word melancholy also derives in part from this Greek root? Discover the connection between gloominess and the Greek word for black at our entry and in our video for melancholy.

Melan- is a variant of melano-, which loses its -o– when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels.

Want to know more? Read our Words That Use melano- article.

Examples of melan-

One word you may be familiar with that features melan- is melanoma, a medical term for various types of skin tumors.

The first part of the word, melan-, means “black,” as we now know. The second part of the word, -oma, is a suffix used for naming tumors. Melanoma literally translates to “black or dark tumor.”

What are some words that use the combining form melan-?

• melanic
• melanin
• melanite
• melanoid
• melanosis

What are some other forms that melan- may be commonly confused with?

• megal-
• myel-

Break it down!

Albinism is a condition that causes pale skin, light hair, and pinkish eyes due to a lack of the ability to produce melanin. What is the name of the condition where an animal produces an unusually high amount of melanin?