cuticle

English

Wikipedia

Etymology

From Latin cuticula (“cuticle, skin”).

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈkjuːtɪkəl/
• Rhymes: -ɪkəl

Noun

cuticle (plural cuticles)

1. The outermost layer of the skin of vertebrates; the epidermis.
2. The strip of hardened skin at the base and sides of a fingernail or toenail.
3. Dead or cornified epidermis.
4. (zoology, botany) A noncellular protective covering outside the epidermis of many invertebrates and plants.

Synonyms

• (zoology, botany) (outer protective covering): cuticula

Derived terms

• cuticular
• epicuticle
• exocuticle
• mescocuticle
• procuticle

Translations

outermost layer of skin of vertebrates — see epidermis

strip of hardened skin at the base of the finger and toenail

Finnish: kynsivalli (fi), kynsinauha (fi) German: Nagelhaut (de) f.

Scottish Gaelic: cneas (gd) m.

dead or cornified epidermis

Finnish: kuollut iho (fi)

Scottish Gaelic: cneas (gd) m.

protective covering outside epidermis

Finnish: kutikula (fi); pintakelmu (fi) (plants) French: cuticule (fr) f. German: Cuticula (de) f., Kutikula (de) f.

Hungarian: kutikula (hu) Japanese: クチクラ Spaish: cutícula (es) f.

See also

• nail
• thumbnail
• toenail
• quick