epidermis

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin epidermis, from Ancient Greek ἐπιδερμίς (epidermís), ἐπί (epí, “on top of”) + δέρμα (dérma, “skin”). Equivalent to epi- +‎ dermis.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌɛp.ɪˈdɜː.mɪs/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /ˌɛp.əˈdɝ.mɪs/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˌep.ɪˈdɜː.mɪs/

Noun

epidermis (plural epidermides or epidermises)

1. The outer, protective layer of the skin of vertebrates, covering the dermis
2. The similar outer layer of cells in invertebrates and plants

Noun

epidermis f (invariable)

1. (anatomy) epidermis

Further reading

• “epidermis” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “epidermis”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2025.
• “epidermis” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “epidermis” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin epidermis, from Ancient Greek ἐπιδερμίς (epidermís).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌeː.piˈdɛr.mɪs/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: epi‧der‧mis

Noun

epidermis f (plural epidermissen or epidermes)

1. (anatomy) epidermis

   Synonym: opperhuid

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἐπιδερμίς (epidermís), from ἐπί (epí, “on top of”) + δέρμα (dérma, “skin”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /e.piˈder.mis/, [ɛpɪˈd̪ɛrmɪs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /e.piˈder.mis/, [epiˈd̪ɛrmis]

Noun

epidermis f (genitive epidermidis); third declension

1. epidermis, cuticle, surface skin

References

• “epidermis”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• epidermis in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /epiˈdeɾmis/ [e.piˈð̞eɾ.mis]
• Rhymes: -eɾmis
• Syllabification: e‧pi‧der‧mis

Noun

epidermis f (plural epidermis)

1. (anatomy) epidermis

Further reading

• “epidermis”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10