: the vascular, thick layer of the skin lying below the epidermis and above the superficial fascia that contains fibroblasts, macrophages, mast cells, B cells, and sensory nerve endings and has an extracellular matrix composed of proteoglycans and glycoproteins embedded with collagen and elastin fibers
called also corium, cutis
see hair illustration
: layer of skin or tissue
endodermis
Examples of dermis in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
New Atlas, 24 July 2025
Look for one with ingredients called humectants that attract and retain water from deeper layers of epidermis and dermis, keeping the outermost layer plump and strong.
—Matt Fuchs, TIME, 6 Feb. 2025
Then your practitioner will perform tiny injections in a uniform pattern, depositing the HA in the dermis.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 7 July 2025
Tattoo Health Risk #4: Tattoos May Be Linked To Cancer
When tattoo pigments are deposited into the dermis of the skin, the ink can migrate to lymph nodes.
—Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dermis
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Noun
Wrinkles in older skin were straighter, possibly due to structural changes like flattening of the junction between the dermis and the epidermis and collagen loss.
—New Atlas, 24 July 2025
Look for one with ingredients called humectants that attract and retain water from deeper layers of epidermis and dermis, keeping the outermost layer plump and strong.
—Matt Fuchs, TIME, 6 Feb. 2025
Then your practitioner will perform tiny injections in a uniform pattern, depositing the HA in the dermis.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 7 July 2025
Tattoo Health Risk #4: Tattoos May Be Linked To Cancer
When tattoo pigments are deposited into the dermis of the skin, the ink can migrate to lymph nodes.
—Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dermis
Cite this Entry
“Dermis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dermis. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dermis
noun
der·mis
ˈdər-məs 
: the sensitive inner layer of skin directly under the epidermis
Medical Definition
dermis
noun
der·mis
ˈdər-məs
: the vascular, thick layer of the skin lying below the epidermis and above the superficial fascia that contains fibroblasts, macrophages, mast cells, B cells, and sensory nerve endings and has an extracellular matrix composed of proteoglycans and glycoproteins embedded with collagen and elastin fibers
called also corium, cutis, cutis vera, derma
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