epidermis

[ ep-i-dur-mis ]

noun

1. Anatomy. the outer, nonvascular, nonsensitive layer of the skin, covering the true skin or corium.
2. Zoology. the outermost living layer of an animal, usually composed of one or more layers of cells.
3. Botany. a thin layer of cells forming the outer integument of seed plants and ferns.

epidermis

/ ˌɛpɪˈdɜːmɪs /

noun

1. Also calledcuticle the thin protective outer layer of the skin, composed of stratified epithelial tissue
2. the outer layer of cells of an invertebrate
3. the outer protective layer of cells of a plant, which may be thickened by a cuticle

epidermis

/ ĕp′ĭ-dûr′mĭs /

1. The protective outer layer of the skin. In invertebrate animals, the epidermis is made up of a single layer of cells. In vertebrates, it is made up of many layers of cells and overlies the dermis. Hair and feathers grow from the epidermis.
2. The outer layer of cells of the stems, roots, and leaves of plants. In most plants, the epidermis is a single layer of cells set close together to protect the plant from water loss, invasion by fungi, and physical damage. The epidermis that is exposed to air is covered with a protective substance called cuticle.
3. See more at photosynthesis

epidermis

1. The outside layers of the skin .

Derived Forms

• ˌepiˈdermal, adjective

Other Words From

• epi·dermal epi·dermic adjective
• epi·dermi·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of epidermis¹

1620–30; < Late Latin: surface skin < Greek epidermís upper skin. See epi-, derma ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of epidermis¹

C17: via Late Latin from Greek, from epi- + derma skin

Example Sentences

This caused the coating to tightly adhere to the robotic finger, essentially creating a primer coat that the researchers could then seed with epidermal keratinocytes, the most common kind of cells in the outermost layer of human skin, the epidermis.

From Singularity Hub 

The team then poured a liquid containing human keratinocyte cells onto the finger, which formed an outer skin layer, or epidermis.

From Science News

Of these coats he rightly supposes the outermost to be merely the epidermis of the middle membrane or testa.

From Project Gutenberg

Dry is the epidermis,A vein no longer bleeds— And the communis vermisUpon the warrior feeds.

From Project Gutenberg

Guapo had made the hammocks, having woven the cords out of the epidermis of the leaf of a noble palm, called “tucum.”

From Project Gutenberg

The lining of the stomach now forms the outer skin, and the former epidermis constitutes the lining of the stomach.

From Project Gutenberg

This acid tinges the skin of a yellow colour, which does not disappear till the epidermis be changed.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bark
• coating
• crust
• fur
• husk
• jacket
• membrane
• rind
• sheath
• surface