melanin /melˈə-nin/

The dark pigment in skin, hair, etc

melanic /mi-lanˈik/ adjective

Black or dark in pigmentation

melˈanism noun

1. The biological condition of having dark skin, plumage, etc
2. More than normal development of dark colouring matter

melanistˈic adjective

melˈanite noun

A black garnet

melano /mi-läˈnō or melˈə-nō/ noun (pl melanos)

An abnormally dark person or animal (formed on the analogy of albino)

melˈanocyte /-sīt, also -lanˈ/ noun

An epidermal cell that can produce melanin

melˈanoid adjective

Resembling melanin or melanosis

melanōˈma noun (pl melanōˈmata or melanōˈmas)

1. Any skin tumour consisting of melanin-pigmented cells
2. (also malignant melanoma) a malignant tumour consisting of melanin-pigmented cells, which usually develops from a mole and metastasizes rapidly

melˈanophore /-för/ noun

A chromatophore containing melanin

melanōˈsis noun

1. A condition of skin or body characterized by abnormally large deposits of melanin
2. A discoloration caused by this

melanotˈic or melˈanous adjective

Dark-complexioned

melanotropˈin noun

A hormone secreted by the pituitary gland which stimulates the production of melanin by melanocytes

melanūˈria noun

The presence of a dark pigment in the urine

melanūˈric adjective

melaphyre /melˈə-fīr/ noun (formed on analogy with porphyry)

1. Orig a dark porphyritic rock
2. Applied very loosely to an altered basalt

• dawted
• dawtie
• dawties
• dawting
• dawts
• DAX
• day
• day about
• Dayak
• dayan
• dayanim
• dayans
• day bed
• day beds
• disutility
• disvalue
• disvalued
• disvalues
• disvaluing
• disvouch
• disvouched
• disvouches
• disvouching
• disworship
• disworships