melanize
English
Alternative forms
- melanise
Etymology
melanin + -ize
Verb
melanize (third-person singular simple present melanizes, present participle melanizing, simple past and past participle melanized)
- (transitive) To convert into melanin, or to deposit melanin in.
- 1999 May 21, Jules A. Hoffmann et al., “Phylogenetic Perspectives in Innate Immunity”, in Science, volume 284, number 5418, DOI:, pages 1313-1318:
- At the extreme, the mosquito does not permit survival and transmission of the parasite: in genetically selected refractory mosquito strains, the parasites may be lysed as they traverse the midgut, or may be encapsulated and melanized at the early oocyst stage.
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Derived terms
- hypermelanize
- hypomelanize