melanin

noun
UK: /ˈmelənɪn/
US: /ˈmelənɪn/

  1. A dark pigment found in skin, hair, and eyes that helps protect against the harmful effects of the sun.

    1. Melanin protects the skin from sun damage.
    2. People with more melanin in their skin are less likely to get sunburned easily in the sunlight.

  2. Any of a class of insoluble pigments that account for the dark color of skin, hair, fur, scales, feathers, and the iris of the eye.

    1. Melanin gives color to our skin.
    2. The amount of melanin determines how dark your skin tone is, offering different levels of sun protection.

Synonyms

pigment
melanin verb

  1. To add melanin.

    1. The sun melanins the skin.
    2. The tanning process melanins the skin to protect it from UV rays.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "melanin" in English means: A dark pigment found in skin, hair, and eyes that helps protect against the harmful effects of the sun., Any of a class of insoluble pigments that account for the dark color of skin, hair, fur, scales, feathers, and the iris of the eye..

The phonetic transcription of "melanin" is /ˈmelənɪn/ in British English and /ˈmelənɪn/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "melanin": pigment.

Example usage of "melanin": "Melanin protects the skin from sun damage.". More examples on the page.