industrial melanism (5) | (noun) - urgent + black + ism = a case where moths tend to become darker genetically due to industrial pollution and birds eating lighter colored moths. |
melanic (5) | (adj.) - from the Greek word = having black pigmentation; affected by melanism. |
melanin (3) | (noun) - from the Greek word = a dark brown or black animal or plant pigment. |
melanism (4) | (noun) - black + ism = the condition where people or animals have dark(er) skin, hair, feathers, etc. Melanistic is the adjective form. |
melanite (4) | (noun) - from the Greek word, via German = a kind of black garnet. Melanitic is the adjective form. |
melanize (4) | (verb) - from the Greek word = to convert into or inject with melanin, to make darker or black. Melanization is the noun form. |
melanoblast (5) | (noun) - dark + blast = a cell that is a precursor of a melanocyte or melanophore. |
melanocyte (5) | (noun) - dark + hollow vessel = a melanin producing epidermal cell. |
melanogenesis (5) | (noun) - black + producing = the formation of melanin. |
melanoma (3) | (noun) - black + noma = a dark colored, usually malignant tumor. Plural form can be melanomas or melanomata. |
melanophore (5) | (noun) - from the Greek word = a melanin-containing cell found especially in fish, amphibians, and reptiles. |
melanosis (4) | (noun) - from the Greek word = an abnormally dark skin color. |
melanotic (4) | (adj.) - from the Greek word = having black pigmentation. |