melanin

[mel-uh-nin]

noun

1. 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.

melanin

/ ˈmɛlənɪn /

noun

1. any of a group of black or dark brown pigments present in the hair, skin, and eyes of man and animals: produced in excess in certain skin diseases and in melanomas

melanin

1. Any of various pigments that are responsible for the dark color of the skin, hair, scales, feathers, and eyes of animals and are also found in plants, fungi, and bacteria. Melanins are polymers, often bound to proteins, and in the animal kingdom are built from compounds produced by the oxidation of the amino acid tyrosine.

melanin

1. A dark brown coloring found in the body, especially in the skin and hair. Produced by special skin cells that are sensitive to sunlight, melanin protects the body by absorbing ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

The amount of melanin present in the skin determines the color of a person's complexion: people with a large amount have dark skin, whereas those with very little have fair skin. Melanin is also responsible for tanning.

Other Word Forms

• melaninlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of melanin¹

First recorded in 1835–45; melan- + -in ²

Example Sentences

That decision ensures that young Americans with the most melanin in their skin will be subjected to random searches and seizures.

From Salon

"They have the perfect, dark skin. They have the melanin. They have the height."

From BBC

Despite the often well-understood ecological drivers that favour the presence or absence of melanin in the wings of these lepidopterans, the genetic and developmental basis of changes in colouration has remained unclear.

From Science Daily

They began testing to see if it could benefit melanocytes, the skin cells that produce melanin, the dark pigment in question.

From Los Angeles Times

This gene causes the insect to produce the brownish pigment melanin.

From Science Daily