melanin

American  

[mel-uh-nin] / ˈmɛl ə nɪn /

noun

1. 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.

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melanin British  

/ ˈmɛlənɪn /

noun

1. 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

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melanin Scientific  

/ mĕl′ə-nĭn /

1. 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.

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melanin Cultural  

1. 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.

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Discover More

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.

Other Word Forms

• melaninlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of melanin

First recorded in 1835–45; melan- + -in ²

Example Sentences

This releases a chemical called melanin, which causes the skin to tan.

From BBC

Even here, Black farmers don’t see their locs or shades of melanin represented in a space where archetypes range from portly White men in overalls to slim and bearded White hipsters in plaid.

From Washington Post

A fungus could also increase their melanin, which would allow them to withstand hotter, drier climates.

From Washington Post

She also used skin-bleaching products, which employ chemicals to suppress the concentration of melanin that makes skin appear darker, according to the podcast “You Must Remember This.”

From Washington Post

And Santato’s team is looking at the possibility of replacing silicon-based semiconductors with melanin, a naturally derived pigment that is capable of efficient electron transport.

From Scientific American