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Glite Dictionary
animal pigment

animal pigment

4.5
A natural material in animals that gives skin, fur, or feathers their color
  • noun
  • /ˈænɪməl ˈpɪɡmənt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : pigmento animal
  • Melanin is a common animal pigment that determines the color of skin and hair in many mammals.

Examples

  • Scientists studied the structure and function of the animal pigment responsible for the octopus’s camouflage.

  • The brilliant colors of butterfly wings are caused by various animal pigments.

  • The animal pigment in the feathers gives them their bright colors.

  • Many animal pigments are used in cosmetics.

  • Melanin is a common animal pigment that determines the color of skin and hair in many mammals.

  • The brilliant colors of butterfly wings are caused by various animal pigments that occur naturally in their tissues.

  • The animal pigment in the feathers of parrots contributes to their vibrant, eye-catching colors.

Synonyms

pigment
vsanimal pigment
  • Specialized
10 4.2

A natural substance inside plants and animals that gives color to skin and leaves

is made naturally by creatures for skin and tissue coloration

Surface Forms

animal pigment singular
animal pigments plural

Morphology

animal + pigment

The meaning 'a pigment produced by animals' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'animal' (organism) with 'pigment' (a colouring molecule); the phrase simply specifies the type/source of pigment. This noun–noun compounding follows standard compositional patterns cross-linguistically and would be readily understood by a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.

Etymology

Animal pigment comes from the simple idea of a pigment, a colored substance, that is made by an animal. So it means 'a color-making substance found in animals', for example melanin in skin or the pigments that make butterfly wings bright.