the condition in humans and animals of having dark-coloured or black skin, feathers, etc. Industrial melanism is the occurrence of dark varieties of animals, esp moths, in smoke-blackened industrial regions, in which they are well camouflaged
2. another name for melanosis
Derived forms
melanistic (ˌmelaˈnistic)
adjective
melanism in American English
(ˈmɛləˌnɪzəm)
noun
1.
abnormal development of dark pigmentation in the skin, hair, feathers, etc.
2.
darkness of skin, hair, eyes, etc., resulting from a high degree of pigmentation