— epidermal, epidermic , adj. — epidermically , adv.
/ep'i derr"mis/ , n.
1. Anat. the outer, nonvascular, nonsensitive layer of the skin, covering the true skin or corium.
2. Zool. the outermost living layer of an animal, usually composed of one or more layers of cells.
3. Bot. a thin layer of cells forming the outer integument of seed plants and ferns.
[ 1620-30; epidermís upper skin. See EPI-, DERMA ]