pellicle

P3E1L1L1I1C3L1E1

noun

A thin skin or film.

OriginLatin pellicula →
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Meanings

nounpellicle (plural pellicles)

plural pellicles · alternative pellicula

  1. A thin skin or film.
  2. A cuticle, the hard protective outer layer of certain life forms.
  3. biologyThe outermost layer of a mushroom; the skin of a mushroom cap; especially, a surface that is viscid and easily peels off.
  4. biologyA thin layer supporting the cell membrane in various protozoa.
  5. biologyThe growth on the surface of a liquid culture.
  6. cookingA skin or coating of proteins on the surface of meat to be smoked, improving the surface adhesion.
  7. dentistryA coating of glycoproteins from saliva that forms on teeth; it offers some protection to the enamel from bacterial acidity.
  8. artsThe photosensitive emulsion of photographic film.
  9. engineeringA thin plastic membrane used as a beam splitter or protective cover (for example, to protect a photomask).

Origin

  1. Latinpellicula
  2. Englishpellicle

From Latin pellicula, from pellis (“skin”). Doublet of pellicule.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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