Word
melanin
US/ˈmɛɫənən/
UK/mˈɛlɐnˌɪn/
Definition
n. a natural substance in your skin, hair, and eyes that gives them their color. It also helps protect your skin from the sun.
n. a pigment produced by specialized cells called melanocytes that determines the color of skin, hair, and eyes. It serves a protective role by absorbing ultraviolet radiation.
Examples
“Melanin gives your skin its natural color.”
“People with more melanin in their skin have a higher natural resistance to sunburn.”
“The synthesis of melanin is a complex biochemical process involving the conversion of tyrosine into melanin by the enzyme tyrosinase, which is essential for photoprotection.”
Examples
simple
“Melanin gives your skin its natural color.”
contextual
“People with more melanin in their skin have a higher natural resistance to sunburn.”
complex
“The synthesis of melanin is a complex biochemical process involving the conversion of tyrosine into melanin by the enzyme tyrosinase, which is essential for photoprotection.”
Etymology
From New Latin, from Ancient Greek stem of μέλας (mélas, “black”) + -in; by surface analysis, melan(o)- + -in.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/melanin