hair follicle

American

noun

Anatomy.

a small cavity in the epidermis and corium of the skin, from which a hair develops.

hair follicle British

noun

a narrow tubular cavity that contains the root of a hair, formed by an infolding of the epidermis and corium of the 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

Etymology

Origin of hair follicle

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It helps reduce the effects of dihydrotestosterone, a hormone linked to follicle shrinkage, while also protecting hair follicle cells from premature cell death.

From Science Daily • Feb. 9, 2026

Others are former hair follicle stem cells, which usually promote hair growth but respond to the more urgent needs of the moment, morphing into epidermal stem cells to bolster local ranks and repair efforts.

From Science Daily • Mar. 7, 2024

They also found that the hypodermis contained downgrowths, the initial stage of early hair follicle formation.

From Science Daily • Mar. 4, 2024

"This process is critical to several vital processes, including wound-healing. It also has a role in hair follicle cycling, specifically in facilitating hair growth."

From Science Daily • Mar. 4, 2024

After an interval of from six to ten days a soft white slough is discharged; this is known as the “core,” and consists of the necrosed hair follicle or sebaceous gland.

From Manual of Surgery Volume First: General Surgery. Sixth Edition. by Thomson, Alexis

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023