melanin

/mɛˈlænɪn/

Definitions

1. noun

A pigment produced by the body that causes skin, hair, and eyes to have their color, especially brown or black.

“The amount of melanin in her skin helped her to tan quickly after moving to a tropical country.”

Synonyms

  • chromophore
  • pigment

Antonyms

  • albinism
  • leucism