Melanin is a dark substance in the skin, eyes, and hair of people and animals, which gives them colour and can protect them against strong sunlight.
melanin in British English
(ˈmɛlənɪn)
noun
any of a group of black or dark brown pigments present in the hair, skin, and eyes of humans and animals: produced in excess in certain skin diseases and in melanomas
melanin in American English
(ˈmɛlənɪn)
noun
a brownish-black pigment found in skin, hair, and other animal or plant tissues
Word origin
melano- + -in1
Examples of 'melanin' in a sentence
melanin
She'd added more melanin to the skin and much more body hair, except on the top of the head.