melanin

[mel-uh-nin] /ˈmɛl ə nɪn/

noun

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.

Origin

1835-45; melan- + -in²

Related forms

melaninlike, adjective

Examples from the web for melanin

Brown eyes are rich in melanin deposits, and blue eyes indicate a lack of melanin.
Two types of melanin pigments, one light and one dark, control hair's basic shades.
Plastic surgeons and dermatologists say the fillers help cover up melanin or the blood vessels that peek through thin skin.
Genetic mutations that affect the production of a pigment called melanin.
The three large, dark-brown cells contain high levels of the pigment melanin.
Dark-skinned people produce more numerous and deeper-colored melanin particles.
Paleness is related to blood flow in the skin rather than deposit of melanin in the skin.
If anybody without enough melanin says it, it's a horrible thing.
People with brown skin have more melanin than people with white skin.
The compound reduces melanin but in high doses can leave permanent dark spots.

British Dictionary definitions for melanin

melanin

/ˈmɛlənɪn/

noun

any of a group of black or dark brown pigments present in the hair, skin, and eyes of man and animals: produced in excess in certain skin diseases and in melanomas

Word Origin and History for melanin

dark brown or black pigment found in animal bodies, 1832, Modern Latin, with chemical suffix -in (2); first element from Greek melas (genitive melanos) "black," from PIE root *mel- "dark, soiled, dirty" (cf. Sanskrit malinah "dirty, stained, black," Lithuanian melynas "blue," Latin mulleus "reddish"). Related: Melanism; melanistic.

melanin in Medicine

melanin mel·a·nin (měl'ə-nĭn)
n.
Any of a group of naturally occurring dark pigments composed of granules of highly irregular polymers that usually contain nitrogen or sulfur atoms, especially the pigment found in skin, hair, fur, and feathers.

melanin in Science

melanin

(měl'ə-nĭn)
Any of various pigments that are responsible for the dark color of the skin, hair, scales, feathers, and eyes of animals and are also found in plants, fungi, and bacteria. Melanins are polymers, often bound to proteins, and in the animal kingdom are built from compounds produced by the oxidation of the amino acid tyrosine.

melanin in Culture

melanin [(mel-uh-nin)]

A dark brown coloring found in the body, especially in the skin and hair. Produced by special skin cells that are sensitive to sunlight, melanin protects the body by absorbing ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

Note: The amount of melanin present in the skin determines the color of a person's complexion: people with a large amount have dark skin, whereas those with very little have fair skin. Melanin is also responsible for tanning.