lanugo

noun

la·​nu·​go lə-ˈnü-(ˌ)gō How to pronounce lanugo (audio) -ˈnyü- How to pronounce lanugo (audio)
: a dense cottony or downy growth of hair
specifically : the soft woolly hair that covers the fetus of some mammals

Examples of lanugo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Here's where the box gets a little, erm, weird: A larger groove for the umbilical cord and a smaller section for lanugo, the fine hair that covers a newborn's body after birth, are front and center. Sarah Schreiber, Good Housekeeping, 20 Dec. 2016 Gray seals are born with a covering of white hair, called lanugo. Aimee Levitt, Chicago Reader, 9 Jan. 2018 Commonly, doctors and parents see this soft hair on newborn babies, but lanugo usually sheds after a short time. Dr. Manny Alvarez, Fox News, 20 June 2017 For people with werewolf syndrome, the lanugo does not shed and continues growing on the baby’s body. Dr. Manny Alvarez, Fox News, 20 June 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lanugo.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin, down, from lana wool — more at wool

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lanugo was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near lanugo

Cite this Entry

“Lanugo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lanugo. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

lanugo

noun
la·​nu·​go lə-ˈnü-gō How to pronounce lanugo (audio)
-ˈnyü-
: a growth of hair resembling cotton or down
especially : the soft hair that covers the fetus of some mammals including humans

Medical Definition

lanugo

noun
la·​nu·​go lə-ˈn(y)ü-(ˌ)gō How to pronounce lanugo (audio)
: a dense cottony or downy growth of hair
specifically : the soft downy hair that covers the fetus of some mammals

More from Merriam-Webster on lanugo

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