Standard Lemma guide

keratinization

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /kəˌɹætɪnaɪˈzeɪʃən/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The process by which cells from beneath the skin are converted to hair and nails (made of keratin).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

organic process by which keratin is deposited in cells and the cells become horny (as in nails and hair)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: keratinisation

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: organic process, biological process

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English keratin Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin -ātiōlbor. Old French -ationbor. Middle English -acioun English -ation English -ization English keratinization From keratin + -ization.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Japanese: 角質化(かくしつか — the process in which cells are converted to hair and nails
  • Japanese: kakushitsu ka) — the process in which cells are converted to hair and nails
  • Polish: keratynizacja — the process in which cells are converted to hair and nails
  • Spanish: queratinización — the process in which cells are converted to hair and nails