rhizoverbBeta
DictionarymelaninBiological pigment
noun

melanin

MEL-uh-nin/ˈmelənɪn/

A natural dark pigment that gives skin, hair, and eyes their color.

Melanin helps determine the color of your skin and hair.

A close-up portrait showing brown skin, dark hair, and a brown iris, with three small linked magnifications revealing brown pigment granules within the skin, hair shaft, and iris tissue.
Etymology
melanGreekblack
+inLatinchemical substance

The “black” root and chemical suffix name a substance by its dark color. The term was coined for dark brown or black pigment in animal bodies, connecting the name directly to its coloring role.

In context

TED3:11
Our skin color depends on the ratio between those two types of melanin and the density of pigment creating structures within our cells.
5 Skin Health Myths to Stop Believing Now | Body Stuff with Dr. Jen Gunter

More examples

  • Sunlight stimulates the skin to produce more melanin.
  • Brown eyes contain more melanin than blue eyes.
  • A lack of melanin can make skin unusually pale.

Similar words

pigment
A broader term for coloring substances, whether natural or artificial.