epidermis

/ˈɛpəˌdʌrmɪs/

/ɛpɪˈdʌmɪs/

Other forms: epidermises

You might have heard an obnoxious classmate shout, "Your epidermis is showing!" Don't panic: epidermis is just a fancy word for skin.

The word epidermis comes from the Greek roots epi meaning "upon" and derma, which means "skin," a pretty apt translation, since epidermis is the outer layer of cell on the surface of an organism, in short — "the skin." Our epidermis is our main protection from the dangers of the outside world. It's thinnest on the eyelids and thickest on the palms of our hands.

Definitions of epidermis

1. noun

   the outer layer of the skin covering the exterior body surface of vertebrates
   synonyms: cuticle

   types:

   mantle, pallium

   (zoology) a protective layer of epidermis in mollusks or brachiopods that secretes a substance forming the shell

   type of:

   stratum

   one of several parallel layers of material arranged one on top of another (such as a layer of tissue or cells in an organism or a layer of sedimentary rock)