ectoderm

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noun

The outermost of the three tissue layers in the embryo of a metazoan animal, which produces through development, the epidermis (skin) and nervous system of the adult.

Similar
exodermectoblast
UncommonScrabble 13
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Meanings

nounectoderm (plural ectoderms)

plural ectoderms

  1. biologyThe outermost of the three tissue layers in the embryo of a metazoan animal, which produces through development, the epidermis (skin) and nervous system of the adult.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounthe outer germ layer that develops into skin and nervous tissue

Similar
exodermectoblast
Broader
germ layer
Also see
ectoblastexoderm

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From ecto- + -derm.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan ectoderma
  • ectodermatissue layer in the embryo
Finnish ektodermi
  • ektodermitissue layer in the embryo
French ectoderme
  • ectodermetissue layer in the embryo
German Ektoderm
  • Ektodermtissue layer in the embryo
Hungarian ektoderma
  • ektodermatissue layer in the embryo
Italian ectoderma
  • ectodermatissue layer in the embryo
Polish ektoderma, ektoblast
  • ektodermatissue layer in the embryo
  • ektoblasttissue layer in the embryo
Portuguese ectoderme
  • ectodermetissue layer in the embryo
Romanian ectoderm
  • ectodermtissue layer in the embryo
Russian эктоде́рма
  • эктоде́рма (ektodérma)tissue layer in the embryo
Spanish ectodermo
  • ectodermotissue layer in the embryo
Cite this entry
APA

ectoderm. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ectoderm

MLA

“ectoderm.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ectoderm. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ectoderm,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ectoderm.

Source: ectoderm on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.