melanize

English

Alternative forms

• melanise

Etymology

melanin +‎ -ize

Verb

melanize (third-person singular simple present melanizes, present participle melanizing, simple past and past participle melanized)

1. (transitive) To convert into melanin, or to deposit melanin in.
   • 1999 May 21, Jules A. Hoffmann et al., “Phylogenetic Perspectives in Innate Immunity”, in Science‎^[1], volume 284, number 5418, →DOI, pages 1313–1318:

     At the extreme, the mosquito does not permit survival and transmission of the parasite: in genetically selected refractory mosquito strains, the parasites may be lysed as they traverse the midgut, or may be encapsulated and melanized at the early oocyst stage.

Derived terms

• hypermelanize
• hypomelanize