epidermis

IPA/ˌepɪˈdɜːmɪs/
KK[ˌɛpədˈɚməs]IPA/ˌepɪˈdɜːrmɪs/

epidermis — noun

1. The thin protective outer covering of the body, made of living cells that form t

1.nounB2
Definition

The thin protective outer covering of the body, made of living cells that form the surface of the skin you can see and feel.

Example

The doctor explained that a minor burn only damages the epidermis, not the deeper layers.

collocation: damages the epidermis

Wei's new skincare routine helped keep her epidermis healthy and well hydrated.

adjective + epidermis: healthy epidermis

Common collocations
  • damaged epidermis
  • healthy epidermis
  • outer epidermis
  • epidermis heals
  • epidermis peels
  • epidermis protects
Synonyms
  • skin

    Less technical; 'skin' refers to the entire organ including the dermis and hypodermis, while 'epidermis' is technically only the outermost layer.

  • cuticle

    More specialized; usually refers to the epidermis of plants or the outer layer of arthropods, not typically used for human skin.

Antonyms
  • dermis

    The thicker inner layer of the skin beneath the epidermis, containing blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue.

Grammar Patterns

the + epidermis

adjective + epidermis (e.g. damaged epidermis, outer epidermis)

epidermis + verb (e.g. the epidermis protects, the epidermis heals)

Usage Note

The epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin. The layer directly beneath it is called the dermis. When talking about skin injuries, burns that affect only the epidermis are considered superficial.

Common Mistakes

The epidermis is the skin.
The epidermis is the outer layer of the skin, not the whole skin.
'Skin' includes both the epidermis and the dermis underneath.
She has a cut in her epidermis.
She has a cut on her epidermis.
Use 'on' for surface-level injuries; the epidermis is the surface layer.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Epidermis, skin, cuticle, dermis, and hide all relate to outer coverings but differ in precision. Epidermis is the technical term for the outermost layer of the skin — the part you can see and touch. Skin is the everyday word for the entire organ, which includes the epidermis, the dermis beneath it, and fat tissue. Dermis is the thicker, deeper layer containing blood vessels and nerves — located right under the epidermis. Cuticle is a narrower term used mainly in botany (the waxy layer on plant leaves) or for the tough outer covering of insects and crustaceans; it should not replace epidermis when referring to human skin. Hide refers to animal skin used for leather, not living human tissue. In a biology exam, you would write 'the epidermis protects the body' — not 'the hide protects the body' or 'the cuticle protects the body'.

skin ↗cuticledermishide ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • layer of epidermis
  • cells of the epidermis
  • surface of the epidermis

Phrases

  • the outermost layer of the epidermis
  • the epidermis of the skin

Prepositions

  • on the epidermis
  • beneath the epidermis
  • through the epidermis

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

Epidermis comes from Late Latin, which borrowed it from Greek. It breaks down into epi- (meaning 'upon' or 'on top of') and derma (meaning 'skin'). So the word literally means 'that which is on top of the skin' — which describes exactly what the epidermis is: the layer sitting above the dermis.

First known use

1626

1626, in the meaning defined at sense 1a