Ancient Greek word root · Body & Health

derm-: skin

derm- is an Ancient Greek root meaning “skin”. Learn its variants and explore 5 connected words.

Meaning and variants

Meaning: skin

Root forms: derm-, derma-, -dermis

Source word: δέρμα — skin, hide

Word family and examples

• dermatology

  the branch of medicine dealing with the skin

• epidermis

  The outer, protective layer of the skin of vertebrates.

• epidermal

  Of or pertaining to the epidermis.

• taxidermy

  The art of stuffing and mounting the skins of dead animals for exhibition in a lifelike state.

• scleroderma

  A chronic systemic autoimmune disease characterized by hardening the skin or other organs through excessive deposits of collagen.

Root connections help with vocabulary recall. They are not a complete etymological history, and a spelling match alone does not prove a relationship.

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