Meanings
plural myelins
- countableuncountableanatomyA white, fatty material, composed of lipids and lipoproteins, that surrounds the axons of nerves.
This gene controls the production of an insulating sleeve that wraps around neurons. Known as myelin, it is crucial for long-range communication in the brain.
2018 December 13, Carl Zimmer, “Narrower Skulls, Oblong Brains: How Neanderthal DNA Still Shapes Us”, in The New York Times, →ISSN1 more example
As the result of prolonged action of water upon myelin, bird's-nests-cells are also said to be produced, and we are certain we have seen, as the result of such prolonged action of water, the appearances thus compared.
1868 January, Edmund Montgomery, “On the Formation of so-called Cells in Animal Bodies”, in The American Journal of the Medical Sciences, page 203
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna white fatty substance that forms a medullary sheath around the axis cylinder of some nerve fibers
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Ancient Greekμυελός (muelós)
- Englishmyelo-
- Englishmyelin
From myelo- + -in. From Ancient Greek μυελός (muelós, “marrow”).
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan mielina
- mielinawhite, fatty material, composed of lipids and lipoproteins
Chinese Mandarin 髓磷脂, 髓鞘質 /髓鞘质
- 髓磷脂white, fatty material, composed of lipids and lipoproteins
- 髓鞘質 /髓鞘质white, fatty material, composed of lipids and lipoproteins
Czech myelin
- myelinwhite, fatty material, composed of lipids and lipoproteins
Esperanto mjelino
- mjelinowhite, fatty material, composed of lipids and lipoproteins
Finnish myeliini
- myeliiniwhite, fatty material, composed of lipids and lipoproteins
French myéline
- myélinewhite, fatty material, composed of lipids and lipoproteins
Irish miailin
- miailinwhite, fatty material, composed of lipids and lipoproteins
Italian mielina
- mielinawhite, fatty material, composed of lipids and lipoproteins
Portuguese mielina
- mielinawhite, fatty material, composed of lipids and lipoproteins
Russian миели́н
- миели́н (mijelín)white, fatty material, composed of lipids and lipoproteins
Spanish mielina
- mielinawhite, fatty material, composed of lipids and lipoproteins
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
myelin. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/myelin
“myelin.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/myelin. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “myelin,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/myelin.
Source: myelin on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.