/
ˈkjuːtɪk(ə)l/
n.
- the dead skin at the base of a fingernail or toenail.
- the outer cellular layer of a hair.
- Botany & Zoology a protective layer covering the epidermis of a plant or invertebrate.
▸Anatomy the epidermis of the body.
Derivative
- cuticular
/-ˈtɪkjʊlə/
adj.
Etymology
C15: from L. cuticula, dimin. of cutis ‘skin’.