eponychium

[ ep-uh-nik-ee-uhm ]

noun,plural ep·o·nych·i·a [ep-uh-nik-ee-uh], /ˌɛp əˈnɪk i ə/,
  1. Embryology. the modified outer layer of the epidermis that partially covers the fetal fingernails and toenails and that persists after birth as the cuticle.

  2. Anatomy. a thin, cuticular fold extending over the lunula of a nail.

Origin of eponychium

1
1880–85; <New Latin, equivalent to ep-ep- + onych- (see onyx) + -ium-ium

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024