eyelid

American  

[ahy-lid] / ˈaɪˌlɪd /

noun

1. the movable lid of skin that serves to cover and uncover the eyeball.

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eyelid British  

/ ˈaɪˌlɪd /

noun

1. either of the two muscular folds of skin that can be moved to cover the exposed portion of the eyeball

2. Also called: clamshell.  aeronautics a set of movable parts at the rear of a jet engine that redirect the exhaust flow to assist braking during landing

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Etymology

Origin of eyelid

Middle English word dating back to 1200–50; eye, lid

Example Sentences

Towns, meanwhile, suffered a nasty cut on his right eyelid when a drive to the rim ended in a clash of heads with Denver's Spencer Jones in the final minute of the first quarter.

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026

“A lot of patients are on GLP-1s nowadays and when the midface drops there’s less support for the lower eyelid too and bags become more obvious,” Schwarcz explained.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 1, 2026

Increasingly, new cars are built to detect deviations from the lane or physiological markers of drowsiness—such as eyelid drooping—then alert drivers that it’s time for them to get off the road.

From Slate • Nov. 26, 2025

Within days her eyelid had drooped and swelled.

From BBC • Sep. 29, 2025

I found the glittery black eye shadow Mom had used last Halloween and swiped some over each eyelid.

From "The First Rule of Punk" by Celia C. Pérez