melanin

American  

[mel-uh-nin] / ˈmɛl ə nɪn /

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.

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melanin British  

/ 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

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melanin Scientific  

/ mĕl′ə-nĭn /

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.

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melanin Cultural  

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.

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Discover More

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

Etymology

Origin of melanin

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

Example Sentences

Both light sources darken skin through the same biological process: UV rays change the structure and chemical profile of DNA in the skin, which then produces more melanin in order to prevent further damage.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

Higgsfield, a platform for generating virtual models, gives creators options to add scars, burns, albinism -- a lack of melanin pigmentation -- and vitiligo, which causes white patches on the skin.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

Albinism, which affects an estimated 30,000 people in Tanzania, is a rare genetic condition that reduces melanin - the pigment that gives colour to skin, eyes and hair.

From BBC • Oct. 24, 2025

Tyrosine is needed to produce melanin and it can stimulate melanin production, hence its effectiveness with melanoma.

From Science Daily • Jun. 18, 2024

He told me about an article he had read, by a white re-searcher who couldn’t deny the truth, about the amazing proper-ties of melanin, the source of pigment in the skin.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover