KERATIN

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does keratin mean? 

• KERATIN (noun)
  The noun KERATIN has 1 sense:

1. a fibrous scleroprotein that occurs in the outer layer of the skin and in horny tissues such as hair feathers nails and hooves

  Familiarity information: KERATIN used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• KERATIN (noun)

Meaning:

A fibrous scleroprotein that occurs in the outer layer of the skin and in horny tissues such as hair feathers nails and hooves

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

ceratin; keratin

Hypernyms ("keratin" is a kind of...):

albuminoid; scleroprotein (a simple protein found in horny and cartilaginous tissues and in the lens of the eye)

Holonyms ("keratin" is a substance of...):

feather; plumage; plume (the light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds)

hair (a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss)

horn (the material (mostly keratin) that covers the horns of ungulates and forms hooves and claws and nails)