keratin

[ ker-uh-tin ]
/ ˈkɛr ə tɪn /

noun

a scleroprotein or albuminoid substance, found in the dead outer skin layer, and in horn, hair, feathers, hoofs, nails, claws, bills, etc.

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Origin of keratin

First recorded in 1840–50; kerat- + -in2

Words nearby keratin

keratalgia, keratan sulfate, keratectasia, keratectomy, keratic, keratin, keratin pearl, keratinase, keratinization, keratinize, keratinocyte
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for keratin

British Dictionary definitions for keratin

keratin

ceratin

/ (ˈkɛrətɪn) /

noun

a fibrous protein that occurs in the outer layer of the skin and in hair, nails, feathers, hooves, etc
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

Medical definitions for keratin

keratin
[ kĕr′ə-tĭn ]

n.

Any of a group of scleroproteins or albuminoids that contain large amounts of sulfur and are the chief structural constituents of hair, nails, and other horny tissues.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Scientific definitions for keratin

keratin
[ kĕr′ə-tĭn ]

Any of a class of tough, fibrous proteins that are the main structural component of hair, nails, horns, feathers, and hooves. Keratins are rich in sulfur-containing amino acids, especially cysteine. Individual keratin molecules are entwined helically around each other in long filaments, which are cross-linked by bonds between sulfur atoms on different chains. The twining and cross-linking produce strength and toughness.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.