melan-

American  

1. variant of melano- before a vowel.

   melanism.

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Usage

What does melan- mean? Melan- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “black” or “dark-colored.” In biology and medicine, melan- is specifically used to refer to melanin, “any of a class of insoluble pigments, found in all forms of animal life, that account for the dark color of skin, hair, fur, scales, feathers, etc.”Melan- comes from the Greek mélās, meaning “black.” Did you know the word melancholy also derives in part from this Greek root? Discover the connection between gloominess and the Greek word for black at our entry and in our video for melancholy. Melan- is a variant of melano-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use melano- article.

Example Sentences

Then why do you look so melan- choly?

From Terminal Compromise: computer terrorism: when privacy and freedom are the victims: a novel by Schwartau, Winn

I have, how- ever, a very kindly memory of that moist and melan- choly afternoon, which was much more autumnal than many of the days that followed it.

From A Little Tour in France by James, Henry