cuticle

[ kyoo-ti-kuhl ]

/ ˈkyu tɪ kəl /

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noun

the nonliving epidermis that surrounds the edges of the fingernail or toenail.

the epidermis.

a superficial integument, membrane, or the like.

Also called cuticula. Zoology. the outer, noncellular layer of the arthropod integument, composed of a mixture of chitin and protein and commonly containing other hardening substances as well.

Botany. a very thin hyaline film covering the surface of plants, derived from the outer surfaces of the epidermal cells.

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Origin of cuticle

1605–15; <Latin cutīcula the skin, equivalent to cuti(s) skin, cutis + -cula-cle¹

OTHER WORDS FROM cuticle

cu·tic·u·lar

[kyoo-tik-yuh-ler], /kyuˈtɪk yə lər/, adjectivesub·cu·tic·u·lar, adjective

Words nearby cuticle

cut flower, cut glass, cut-grass, Cuthbert, cut ice, cuticle, cuticolor, cuticula, cutie, cutie pie, cutin

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use cuticle in a sentence

A study now finds that tiny hairs on that cuticle act as a lubricant.
Abdominal fuzz makes bee bodies super slippery|Alison Pearce Stevens|August 9, 2021|Science News For Students
Tree leaves, we read, possess transparent lens-like cuticles that may function as primitive eyes.
We’re at home among trees — which might be able to sense our presence|Richard Schiffman|July 23, 2021|Washington Post
In several plants, the cuticle is constructed in the shape of a lens, which means that it focuses light, making the cuticle functionally similar to the lens in our eye.
Plants Feel Pain and Might Even See - Issue 104: Harmony|Peter Wohlleben|July 21, 2021|Nautilus
Baluška directed me to research being done on the cuticle or outer layer of leaves.
Plants Feel Pain and Might Even See - Issue 104: Harmony|Peter Wohlleben|July 21, 2021|Nautilus

It doesn’t seem logical to me to focus light if photosynthesis is the only goal, because the cuticle could simply let the sun’s rays through.
Plants Feel Pain and Might Even See - Issue 104: Harmony|Peter Wohlleben|July 21, 2021|Nautilus
As the disease subsides, the cuticle comes off (desquamates) in patches.
An Epitome of Homeopathic Healing Art|B. L. Hill
We hold it morally impossible to attend a picnic and come home pure in heart and undefiled of cuticle.
The Fiend's Delight|Dod Grile
Flesh: Rich, bright yellow, red immediately beneath the cuticle.
Our Edible Toadstools and Mushrooms and How to Distinguish Them|William Hamilton Gibson
The cuticle is an obstacle to galvanic effects; they are always feebly manifested in parts covered by it.
The Book of Curiosities|I. Platts
He, at least, could have dropped an unconventional word, done something to pierce the cuticle.
The Letters of William James, Vol. 1|William James

British Dictionary definitions for cuticle

cuticle

/ (ˈkjuːtɪkəl) /

noun

dead skin, esp that round the base of a fingernail or toenail

another name for epidermis

any covering layer or membrane

the protective layer, containing cutin, that covers the epidermis of higher plants

the hard protective layer covering the epidermis of many invertebrates

Derived forms of cuticle

cuticular (kjuːˈtɪkjʊlə), adjective

Word Origin for cuticle

C17: from Latin cutīcula diminutive of cutis skin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for cuticle

cuticle

[ kyōō′tĭ-kəl ]

The noncellular, hardened or membranous protective covering of many invertebrates, such as the transparent membrane that covers annelids.

A layer of wax and cutin that covers the outermost surfaces of a plant. The cuticle is secreted by the epidermis and helps prevent water loss and infection by parasites.

The hard skin around the sides and base of a fingernail or toenail.